Continuing Care Hospital, a 23-bed specialty hospital at Saint Joseph Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, is expanding its services to an additional location at Saint Joseph East. CCH’s focus is caring for patients with medically complex conditions that require extended hospitalizations for medical reasons, according to a release.

With the growing need for services for patients with medically complex needs, as well as substance abuse and behavioral health needs, CCH recognized the need to expand and open this new unit on the fifth floor at Saint Joseph East. This new program will integrate complex medical care with behavioral health treatment utilizing counselors and clinical social workers to focus on substance abuse and behavioral health needs.

It’s important for more health systems to integrate complex medical care with behavioral health treatment for a few big reasons:

1. Whole-Person Care = Better Outcomes

Many physical health conditions—like diabetes, heart disease, or chronic pain—are deeply connected to behavioral health issues such as depression, anxiety, or substance use. Treating just one side often leaves the other side unaddressed, leading to:

• Higher relapse rates
• Poor treatment adherence
• Slower recovery

When care is integrated, patients are more likely to follow through with treatment plans, experience improved outcomes, and recover more fully.

2. Reducing Healthcare Costs

Mental health conditions can silently drive up costs by:

• Increasing ER visits
• Prolonging hospital stays
• Leading to more frequent readmissions

Studies show integrated care reduces these costly outcomes by catching problems earlier and managing them more efficiently. It’s not just better care—it’s smarter care economically.

3. Access and Stigma

Behavioral health care is still highly stigmatized and hard to access for many people. By embedding behavioral health into primary or specialty care:

• Access improves because patients don’t need to seek out a separate provider.
• Stigma decreases—mental health becomes just another part of routine health care.
• Patients are more likely to open up and accept help.

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