This and other CPT coding changes.

Integration of “behavioral health services” with “somatic care” has been a hot subject for several months, for state government, the MPS and other stakeholders. Since my last column in July, our MPS Behavioral Health Integration Workgroup (BHI Workgroup) has continued to work diligently, studying relevant literature and reports, participating in state workgroup meetings, making our presence known, and contributing actively and significantly to the deliberations with the DHMH and other stakeholders.

The beginnings of the Maryland Psychiatric Society go back to the early nineteen hundreds, when a group of physicians from various specialties got together with the common goal of advocating for  improvements in the care of patients with psychiatric disease. At that time, the care of those patients seemed to be integrated across specialties. In contrast, care for patients with psychiatric disease today is disintegrated and fragmented with various carve-outs and silos that limit access to psychiatric and somatic care alike, particularly for patients who need it most.

We had such a wonderful turnout for the annual dinner and it was a pleasure to see so many of our members. With the Inner Harbor as the backdrop, Gil Sandler, the renowned Baltimore historian, took us on an intriguing historical journey of “change” in Baltimore. On average, he concluded, it took 49 years for something to change. Interestingly, the story that prompted me to invite Mr. Sandler to speak at our annual dinner described a much faster pace.

I am honored and privileged to have the opportunity to write to you this column, my first as President of the Maryland Psychiatric Society. I would like to thank our Nominating Committee and all our members for charging me with this responsibility; I am humbled by your vote of confidence and am determined to continue to build on the great achievements of my esteemed predecessors, most recently Drs. Angelino, Everett, Miller, and others who have mentored me into this role.