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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW One person confirmed injured in Lawnridge Street fire ... Crews encircle Cleveland Ridge fire near Shady Cove ... Emergency services, Aug. 25 ... One person confirmed injured in Lawnridge Street fire ... Crews encircle Cleveland Ridge fire near Shady Cove ... Emergency services, Aug. 25 ... OUR VIEW Our View: Improving mental, physical health care at once Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 24, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Aug. 24, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News The addition of behavioral health specialists to local doctor's offices is part of a national trend. It's also part of the legacy of Sen. Alan Bates, who championed the concept of treating the whole patient. A story in Tuesday's Mail Tribune profiled Dr. Jared Cox, a behavioral healthy consultant at Southern Oregon Pediatrics. When one of the clinic's pediatricians sees a patient who may need mental health care in addition to medical treatment, they can refer the patient directly to Cox. Likewise, Katie De Vry, Cox's counterpart at Asante Physician Partners Internal Medicine Clinic-Ashland, can help patients suffering from chronic pain deal with the depression that often accompanies the physical pain. She can also help them with substance abuse and addiction, if that has become a problem. This integration is especially effective because it may connect patients with the mental health care they need more effectively than a referral to an outside practitioner. Statistics show patients referred to mental health care elsewhere actually follow through only 10 percent of the time. Bates, while working for decades to reform health care in Oregon, was a strong promoter of the coordinated care organization model the state adopted for Medicaid patients. The CCO approach looks at the entirety of a patient's needs and focuses on what most needs attention. A patient who habitually shows up at the emergency room might have an underlying psychological disorder that, if treated, could help alleviate the physical symptoms, too. Medical providers who have access to a patient's full history through the CCO can make better treatment decisions. For patients on the Oregon Health Plan, that can reduce the amount of taxpayer money spent on treatment while improving the patient's quality of life at the same time. Jackson Care Connect, a local CCO, is investing nearly half a million dollars to help medical clinics add mental health workers and to support those clinics that already do offer that care. Greater recognition that mental and physical health go hand in hand will go a long way toward improving health care delivery. And identifying and addressing mental health issues sooner rather than later will benefit not only individual patients but the entire community. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 24, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501