Characteristics of Family Physicians Practicing Collaboratively With Behavioral Health Professionals

Integrating behavioral health into primary care can improve access to behavioral health and patient health outcomes. We used 2017-2021 American Board of Family Medicine continuing certificate examination registration questionnaire responses to determine the characteristics of family physicians who work collaboratively with behavioral health professionals. With a 100% response rate, 38.8% of 25,222 family physicians reported working collaboratively with behavioral health professionals, with those working in independently owned practices and in the South having substantially lower rates. Future research exploring these differences could help develop strategies to support family physicians implement integrated behavioral health to improve care for patients in these communities. Key words: behavioral medicine; integration of care; mental health services; primary health care https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.2947
INTRODUCTION The complexity of patients presenting in primary care continues to grow with an estimated 1 in 3 adults in the United States presenting with multiple chronic conditions. (1) The [...]