Healthcare systems have increasingly adopted integrated care models with demonstrated effectiveness. However, few studies examine integrated care for individuals with co-morbid mental illness and medical conditions.

Methods

This quasi-experimental study compared service use for two integrated care models for patients with co-occurring conditions. We used hierarchical negative binomial and logistic regressions with random effects to test the relationship between integration and service use.

Results

Patients treated at co-located agencies had significantly higher odds of inpatient hospitalization compared to those in fully integrated settings. Additionally, some comorbidities had significantly different levels of service use. Patients at co-located agencies had more outpatient and emergency visits, but was not statistically significant.

Conclusion

Our findings provide evidence that the model of care may impact service use for patients experiencing co-occurring conditions, however, variations in service use for specific co-morbid conditions highlight the need to examine the specific needs and characteristics of this population.