- Center on Health Equity & Access
- Clinical
- Health Care Cost
- Health Care Delivery
- Insurance
- Policy
- Technology
- Value-Based Care
Wayne J. Katon, MD, Discusses How Collaborative Care Drives Quality
Wayne J. Katon, MD, professor of psychiatry, director of the division of health services and epidemiology, and vice chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington Medical School, says that people with psychiatric illness in primary care settings cost the system twice as much as those without mental illness. Comorbidities such as depression can add to those costs.
Wayne J. Katon, MD, professor of psychiatry, director of the division of health services and epidemiology, and vice chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington Medical School, says that people with psychiatric illness in primary care settings cost the system twice as much as those without mental illness. Comorbidities such as depression can add to those costs.
“Integrating models of care like collaborative care have been shown to improve the quality of care, meaning they’re more likely to get an evidence-based treatment like a psychotherapy or med that would help their depression, and also they have better outcomes,” says Dr Katon. “We’ve shown that you can actually save money, particularly with these comorbid populations, by providing better mental healthcare integrated within the primary care system.”
A meta-analysis showed that control group outcomes in psilocybin trials for depression were significantly weaker than those in selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and esketamine trials, suggesting that psilocybin’s large observed treatment effects may be inflated by methodological factors such as functional unblinding and expectancy bias.
Read More
Legal Navigation Services Key to Addressing Disparities in Cancer Care
July 31st 2025A significant number of patients with cancer, caregivers, and health care professionals face significant disparities in legal issues, with the most common needs revolving around health insurance, finances, employment, and disability insurance.
Read More
Proposed SNAP Cuts Could Threaten Prevention for Cognitive Decline, Dementias
July 30th 2025Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits may slow cognitive decline in older adults, highlighting the importance of food assistance in combating Alzheimer disease and dementia risks.
Read More
Managed Care Reflections: A Q&A With Charles N. (Chip) Kahn III, MPH
July 30th 2025To mark the 30th anniversary of The American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC), each issue in 2025 includes a special feature: reflections from a thought leader on what has changed—and what has not—over the past 3 decades and what’s next for managed care. The August issue features a conversation with Charles N. (Chip) Kahn III, MPH, the president and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals and a longtime member of the AJMC editorial board.
Read More
