Tonight's picture was taken in October of 2002. Mattie was six months old and clearly did not understand the concept of Halloween yet. To commemorate Mattie's first Halloween, I sat him in our big white rocker and placed a pumpkin by his side. Notice that his hand went directly for the pumpkin and its stem!
Quote of the day: Some people find it counter intuitive that better care can result in lower costs, but that’s often the way it works in healthcare. ~ Dr. Marc Harrison
With each grooming, Sunny comes home with a themed bandanna! Sunny has quite a collection now, one for each holiday or season.
This afternoon, Sunny and I went for a three mile walk. Along our journey I came across this wonderful oak tree which dropped many of its acorns. I collected a few in memory of Mattie. When Mattie was a preschooler, he loved collecting acorns.... only the ones with their hats/caps still on! Then Mattie would distribute acorns to friends. In fact, Mattie's occupational therapist must have had a basket full of Mattie acorns by the time he was finished with her. Peter found the article below and sent it to me. It is entitled, Intermountain cuts costs, improves care by integrating mental health into primary care. It is a short article, but packs a powerful punch. In a nutshell, primary healthcare settings are finding that IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE MEDICINE (Mattie Miracle's tagline)!!! In my opinion this news isn't earth shattering, because most of us quickly surmise this after experiencing an illness and interacting with our healthcare system! The immediate insight from patients is..... when we are not emotionally supported this further impacts our physical health. Mattie Miracle's tagline needs to become the mantra in all of healthcare, not just with childhood cancer.
The article highlights a team-based approach in a primary care setting that includes mental health services. What was found is this inclusion improved overall health of patients. More patients in team-based practices stick with their diabetes care protocols for example and have documented self-care plans. Among individuals receiving care through this practice's integrated program, emergency room visits declined 23%, hospital admissions declined 10%, and primary care doctor visits declined by 7%. I can't wait to one day have such psychosocial data for childhood cancer!!! Clearly medical practices and insurers are seeing the light!
Yet why in 2017, are we still inappropriately managing psychological issues? Why do we continue to separate out mental health care from physical care? Well according to a second article (https://www.statnews.com/2017/05/31/mental-health-medicine/), this may explain it:
- Most emergency departments are ill-equipped to meet the needs of patients in the midst of mental health crises.
- Most insurance plans view mental illness and addiction as exceptions to standard care, not part of it.
- Despite an overall cultural shift towards compassion, our society still tends to view the mentally ill and those with addiction as morally broken rather than as ill.
Intermountain cuts costs, improves care by integrating mental health into primary care:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/practices/intermountain-cuts-costs-improves-care-by-integrating-mental-health-into-primary-care
1 comment:
Vicki, It is obvious to families who have experienced a catastrophic illness with their child like a Cancer diagnosis, that psychosocial support is needed all through the treatment & beyond. Yet today for the most part it is just strongly felt by families who have had the need and people who work with children/adults facing traumatic experiences. I believe the last 3 points, you expressed are an enormous hurdle to overcome. Most especially the acceptance that mental health issues should carry no stigma. That insurance companies should automatically cover this care especially when the issues are during or following the many challenges that children or any age person goes through during treatment.
Since my focus is Childhood Cancer, I find it a travesty that so many kids's emotional needs are just not a priority yet they are as large a problem as their cancer. This is why I have great faith in Mattie Miracle to fill this gaping hole in care.
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