L7 – Strategic Implementation Planning for Integrated Behavioral Health Services in Pediatric Primary Care

Summary

Delivering physical and behavioral health services in a single setting is associated with improved quality of care and reduced health care costs. Few health systems implementing integrated care develop conceptual models and targeted measurement strategies a priori with an eye toward adoption, implementation, sustainment, and evaluation. Without this foundation, it is difficult to disentangle why implementation is or is not successful. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss strategic implementation and evaluation planning for a pediatric integrated care initiative in a large health system. A logic model, which defines resources and community characteristics, program components, evaluation activities, short-term activities, and intermediate and long-term patient-, provider-, and practice-related outcomes will be described. The model was designed based on research and stakeholder input to support strategic implementation and evaluation of the integrated primary care program. For each aspect of the logic model, a measurement battery was selected. These measures will be presented to highlight how a logic model can inform targeted measurement selection. Additionally, initial implementation data and intermediate outcomes from a pilot in five practices in a 31-practice pediatric primary care network will be presented to illustrate how the logic model and evaluation plan has been used to guide the iterative process of program development. This model provides a template for future projects integrating behavioral health services in pediatric primary care and can be used broadly to provide structure to implementation activities.