Addressing the Physical, Psychological Complexity of IBD Through Coordinated Care

The Specialty Medical Home model is reshaping care for people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD, which includes Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis, is a complex, chronic condition that affects millions of people and requires more than just medical management.

In this episode of Managed Care Cast, the conversation focuses on how patients often face not only debilitating gastrointestinal symptoms but also significant psychological challenges, including anxiety, depression, and the stigma that can come with managing an invisible illness.

Developed and implemented at leading centers including the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), the Cleveland Clinic, and Mount Sinai Hospital, this innovative approach is designed to address both the physical and mental health needs of people with IBD through fully integrated, patient-centered, team-based care. The model combines medical treatment with nutritional counseling and behavioral health services to support patients holistically. At its core is the recognition that gut health and mental health are deeply connected and that improving one requires addressing both.

This work is led by the UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care, which received a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) grant to build and study this coordinated care model. Joining us to discuss the impact are 2 of the leaders behind this effort: Eva Szigethy, MD, PhD, a child and adult psychiatrist specializing in gastropsychiatry, who serves as the clinical lead for the IBD Medical Home at UPMC, and Benjamin Cohen, MD, cosection head and clinical director for IBD at Cleveland Clinic, and a coinvestigator in the PCORI-funded study.

Together, they share how this model reduces stigma, promotes patient engagement, and helps individuals better manage the complexity of IBD, especially as treatment options evolve and access to care becomes more fragmented.

Narration was generated using AI.

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