Magellan Healthcare Debuts High-Touch, High-Tech Collaborative Care Management Solution Powered by NeuroFlow
Magellan Healthcare, the behavioral and specialty healthcare division of Magellan Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGLN), today announced a collaborative care management solution for health plans and providers that will enhance behavioral healthcare services delivered in physical healthcare settings.
Developed with NeuroFlow, a key collaborator in Magellan’s digital transformation, this solution will increase access to behavioral health screening and care by enabling primary care and specialty providers to identify and manage undertreated and underdiagnosed low- to moderate-risk behavioral health conditions before they escalate.
Providers will receive enhanced support from Magellan’s clinical team which will leverage NeuroFlow’s cloud-based platform to offer:
- Ease of communication with members and their care team
- Patient data integrated into electronic medical records and existing provider practice workflows
- Artificial intelligence which identifies at-risk members, enables real-time feedback and reports on outcomes such as symptom reduction and remission
- Integration with a member app that provides engaging self-care activities and personalized clinical content, feeding patient-recorded outcomes to a registry for monitoring and risk stratification
This high-tech and high-touch solution addresses the growing challenge of limited access to and availability of providers. According to a report from the New American Economy, 60% of the counties in the U.S. lack a psychiatrist, and by 2025, Americans will have an estimated shortage of 250,000 mental health professionals.i In addition, members with low- to moderate-risk behavioral health concerns can suffer from unidentified/underdiagnosed and undertreated conditions.
“Too many Americans live in behavioral health deserts – they have little or no access to care. Or, at best, they have access to a fragmented healthcare system, leaving key needs unmet,” said Caroline Carney, M.D., chief medical officer, Magellan Health. “We must address the behavioral, physical and pharmacy needs of people through an integrated approach that augments the important work of providers and supports the member through their entire health journey. With Magellan’s high-touch clinical solutions complemented by NeuroFlow’s high-tech application, we can support primary and specialty care providers in identifying and treating members before damaging outcomes occur.”
The Collaborative Care Model
Collaborative care is an evidence-based integrated care model that provides delivery systems with a population health and team-based approach to treating patients with behavioral health and co-morbid medical conditions within the primary care setting.
The collaborative care model deploys teams of tech-enabled care managers and consulting psychiatrists to help primary care practices integrate behavioral healthcare into the primary care setting. It is a virtual practice overlay and has been proven to enhance the effectiveness of depression care, while also helping to deliver a 6:1 return on investment to providers.
While the clinical effectiveness of collaborative care is backed by years of research, it traditionally comes with high costs and a long ramp-up time. Magellan’s solution uses NeuroFlow’s technology to address those barriers, enabling efficient deployment and integration of services across large populations, in a matter of days to weeks.
How Magellan’s CoCM Solution Works
Patients complete validated behavioral health assessments using a mobile device or tablet when they arrive at their provider’s office. Screening results are analyzed and delivered to the dashboard embedded in the patient’s electronic health record. The provider is able to discuss the results with the patient during the visit and recommend collaborative care management to those who are at risk.
A Magellan care manager leverages NeuroFlow’s cloud-based registry to monitor their patient panel and prioritize those in need of immediate support. The care manager serves as a liaison between the provider and the Magellan psychiatric consultant who recommends the best course of action. The patient benefits from NeuroFlow’s evidence-based clinical content during and after treatment to manage their condition through activities such as journaling and psychoeducation. The use of gamification within the app also keeps patients engaged.
“We are proud to work with Magellan to bring this solution to market and address the growing need for behavioral healthcare services,” said Chris Molaro, chief executive officer, NeuroFlow. “Data from validated questionnaires completed on NeuroFlow’s platform showcase the clinical impact made for a multi-practice clinic; 67% of patients that enrolled in collaborative care experienced a 50% reduction in depression within 4 to 8 months. We’re helping organizations achieve outcomes that have been proven time and time again.”
