Mini Review of Integrated Care and Implications for Advanced Practice Nurse Role

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Integration
• Behavioral Health Services
• Primary Care Models

Background:

• Growing literature on primary care and behavioral health integration.
• Affordable Care Act provisions encourage collaborative care.
• Limited understanding of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses' (APRNs) roles in this integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• Define integration models for physical and behavioral healthcare.
• Identify effective evidence-based integration strategies.
• Explore future roles and innovations for APRNs in integrated care.

Main Methods:

• Review of evidence-based literature.
• Analysis of systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials.

Main Results:

• Limited evidence base (3 systematic reviews, 6 RCTs).
• Effective strategies varied (care management, pharmacotherapy, depression management).
• Implications for integrated care APRNs: competencies, leadership, engagement, collaboration, advocacy.

Conclusions:

• APRNs are essential for successful integrated care.
• Further research needed to generalize effective models.
• Future innovations should leverage APRN expertise in integrated settings.