Phillip Murray, MD, MPH

2016-2017

Associate Medical Director for Adult Outpatient Medical Services, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC

Dr. Phillip Murray most recently finished his Chief Residency in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital Child and Adolescent program of Columbia and Cornell Universities, New York, NY.  He is most interested in delivery systems for vulnerable populations, and strongly believes that interventions need to begin with systems of care.  Dr. Murray is committed to pipeline projects for underrepresented minorities in medicine, as evidenced by his role as Chairman of the American Psychiatric Association/SAMHSA Minority Fellows Program.  Dr. Murray received his medical degree from Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA in 2010.  He completed his adult psychiatry residency at Harvard Medical School, Cambridge Health Alliance in 2014.

Maximizing Behavioral Health Resources for A Large Health System

Maximizing Behavioral Health Resources for A Large Health System

Objectives: 
 
Centura Health is a rapidly expanding hospital with sites across Colorado and western Kansas. They have begun to focus on behavioral health as a larger part of their organization’s strategic vision. The project focuses on developing a plan to maximize Centura’s ability to provide behavioral health services to their consumers. The plan will be tailored to address the needs of the large health system, incorporating innovative care models based on evidence-based principles of care.
 
Background: 
 
A provider shortage has contributed to approximately 60% of U.S. adults with mental health conditions left untreated. Many patients are treated in a primary care setting without any support from mental health providers. Integrating mental health into primary care settings offers an opportunity to improve outcomes for patients and lower costs from lack of appropriate treatment.
 
Methods: 
 
Interviews were conducted with four sites working to integrate care within the Centura system.  Insights from interviews and a literature review were the basis for presentations made to system administrators at Centura’s first Behavioral Health Summit. Context was provided to inform the feasibility for an upcoming state grant application for care expansion. Progress was tracked through weekly conference calls with the project preceptor.
 
Results:
 
Interviews showed sites at different levels of care integration. Each site was customized to interact with existing clinical and community resources. Sites had similar challenges of securing funds to initiate care integration, limited providers available, and overcoming cultural barriers between mental health and primary care. The Behavioral Health Summit presented the first opportunity and major players met to consider the behavioral health service line at the system level. Discussion groups provided the basis for developing a strategic plan. Content information was incorporated into the grant application which is moving forward.
 
Future Directions: 
 
Centura Health is currently seeking funding opportunities to increase their ability to provide behavioral health services. If funded, the organization will begin to implement care integration at their primary care sites. Comments from the Behavioral Health Summit have been collected to aid the development of a strategic plan for the organization. There will be an ongoing consulting relationship to aid the next steps in care expansion.
 
Preceptor: James Corbett, JD, MDiv, Centura Health; Carl Patten, Jr, JD, MPH, Centura Health