Addressing mental health as part of a holistic care model reduces stigma in accessing services, improves physical health, and enhances whole-patient health outcomes. However, achieving true integration requires dismantling the silos and fragmentation that have long plagued the healthcare system. At Array Behavioral Care, we’ve spent 25 years leading the charge to bridge these divides by providing seamless, virtual behavioral health treatment across the continuum of care from acute to outpatient to home settings.  

Recent shifts in legislation and changing patient preferences are creating greater opportunities to connect mental and physical health care delivery. Health parity laws are ensuring equal coverage for behavioral health conditions, and the growing demand for these services reflects a greater awareness of their importance. But despite these advancements, nearly two-thirds of Americans diagnosed with a mental health condition cannot access treatment, even with health insurance. This is where integrated solutions, expert care, and innovative technology must come together.

‍The Bidirectional Relationship between Mental and Physical Health

‍Research underscores the strong link between mental and physical health, often referred to as the mind-body connection. Individuals with severe mental health conditions are at higher risk for diseases like diabetes and hypertension, while those with physical health conditions, including COPD or cancer, often develop depression and anxiety. By uniting physical and behavioral health care, Array addresses the interconnected nature of these conditions, empowering care teams to deliver timely, coordinated care through our Epic-based platform KeyCare.

A Unified Clinical Platform

Integration of behavioral and physical health isn’t just a concept – it's a reality enabled by technology. Array Behavioral Care’s unified clinical platform, built on Epic and optimized for virtual behavioral health, allows providers to share data and collaborate seamlessly across acute, outpatient, and home settings.

What this means practically is that providers have real-time access to patient charts and data, giving them a full picture of a patient’s health whenever and wherever they present. For example:

• In emergency departments, real-time data ensures that psychiatrists can work alongside medical staff to create care plans that account for both physical and behavioral health needs.
• In outpatient settings, primary care providers and behavioral health specialists collaborate on treatment plans without delays caused by siloed systems.
• At home, patients can continue receiving virtual behavioral health care informed by their comprehensive medical history, ensuring smoother transitions between care settings.

This level of integration improves care coordination, eliminates information gaps during transitions, and allows for more informed, effective care plans. It also ensures continuity of care and smoother handoffs, reducing the risk of patients falling through the cracks.

Improving Care Coordination and Outcomes

Array’s clinical platform isn’t just about data – it's about what the data enables. By giving care teams access to the full spectrum of patient information, providers can:

• Deliver timely, personalized care that addresses both physical and mental health
• Avoid duplicate tests, missed diagnoses, and conflicting treatments
• Ensure that care plans are cohesive and follow patients across different providers and the continuum of care

For patients, this means a better care experience, from faster stabilization in crisis situations to more consistent management of chronic conditions. For providers, it reduces administrative burdens, streamlines workflows, and enhances clinical decision-making.

‍Integrated Care in Action

Consider a patient presenting with both chronic diabetes and symptoms of depression. Historically, these conditions might be treated separately, with little communication between providers. With Array’s Epic-based platform KeyCare, a psychiatrist and primary care physician can work together, sharing insights and aligning on a treatment plan. This approach ensures that both conditions are addressed holistically, leading to better outcomes, improved adherence to treatment, and lower overall healthcare costs. 

Now imagine a patient presenting to the emergency department with chest pains. Initially suspected to be a cardiac issue, the symptoms are later identified as physical manifestations of severe anxiety, triggered by an acute stressor at work. Array’s solution provides timely access to a psychiatrist for evaluation and treatment, as well as real-time information sharing. This prevents misdiagnosis, unnecessary cardiac tests or procedures, and enables the creation of a comprehensive care plan that addresses both the immediate symptoms and the root cause. It also gives the care team the full breadth of information they need to make risk-informed disposition decisions, so the patient is transitioned to the most clinically appropriate, least restrictive level of care.

These examples demonstrate how a holistic view of a patient’s health, along with timely access to psychiatric specialists, real-time data sharing, and integrated care pathways enable providers to deliver accurate diagnoses, personalized treatment, and better long-term outcomes.

‍Building a Future of Seamless, Integrated Care

Behavioral health has been siloed from physical health care for far too long, creating a fragmented system that negatively impacts outcomes. Array is addressing this challenge head-on with technology and clinical expertise, enabling care teams to deliver truly integrated solutions.

Together with our partners, Array Behavioral Care is redefining what’s possible in mental health care – making holistic, coordinated care a reality for patients and providers nationwide.