The Hidden Cost Of Fragmented Care—And Why Integrated Care Is The Cure

Forbes

25-06-2025

Dr. Michele Nealon, President of The Chicago School.
In a healthcare system built on specialization, doctors often treat patients like a collection of symptoms rather than as whole people. A cardiologist manages blood pressure. A therapist addresses stress and anxiety. A physical therapist focuses on mobility. But rarely do these professionals share notes to treat their patients, let alone invest in a shared approach to complete care. The decentralization of care isn't just challenging for patients to navigate—it can also lead to significant financial and health costs.
When Systems Don't Talk, Patients Suffer
Consider the millions of Americans living with both chronic physical illnesses and behavioral health conditions. These individuals face overlapping challenges: pain that intensifies depression, medication side effects that go unmonitored or mental health needs that make it harder to manage physical treatment plans. Without integrated care—where providers collaborate and patients receive whole-person, holistic support—gaps widen, conditions are likely to worsen and preventable complications continue to emerge.
The Financial Toll Of Disconnection
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "ninety percent of the nation's $4.5 trillion in annual health care expenditures are for people with chronic and mental health conditions." Much of this spending isn't just the result of disease but disconnection. When care is fragmented, costs escalate as a result of unnecessary hospitalizations, redundant testing, missed diagnoses and missed and/or incomplete care plans.
A 2020 study in JAMA Network Open further illustrates this point. Among Medicare beneficiaries, individuals with serious mental illness incurred nearly $5,000 more annually in spending on physical health services compared to those without behavioral health conditions. The reason is one I'm overly familiar with as a practitioner. Simply put, untreated or poorly managed mental health can magnify the cost and complexity of managing one's physical illness. For industry leaders, this is more than a clinical gap—it's a fundamental question of system design and impact.
Integrated Care As A Cost Strategy
When mental and physical health providers work together, the results can be transformative—for the patient, their families and for broader communities as well. An integrated care approach can lead to:
• Lower healthcare costs
• Fewer emergency room visits and hospital readmissions
• Increased medication adherence and thus better health outcomes
• Greater engagement and patient satisfaction in their care
What's Getting In The Way Of Integrated Care?
Despite its promise, integrated care faces persistent challenges, including the fact that electronic health records aren't designed to be shared seamlessly across medical systems, and training for aspiring healthcare professionals is often siloed, leaving little exposure to approaches that see the patient as a whole person.
The good news is that these problems are solvable. Leaders across healthcare—including educators, medical providers, insurance and government—must align on a common goal: removing the structural and financial barriers that prevent collaboration.
At the same time, we're beginning to see a new wave of institutions that are built from day one with an integrated approach in mind. Our own, The Chicago School, is one example, with our Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine recently receiving pre-accreditation from the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation.
As other new medical schools invest in a commitment to whole-person, community-based care, they will be positioned to help shape the next generation of physicians who are trained not just in diagnosis, but in connection.
A Path Forward
I've long championed the belief that there is no health without mental health. This principle underscores the necessity of treating individuals holistically, recognizing the intricate interplay between mental and physical well-being.​
To advance integrated care, we must:
• Foster collaborative training. Develop educational programs that prepare future healthcare professionals to work across disciplines, ensuring a unified approach to patient care.
• Strengthen community partnerships. Engage with local organizations to create support systems that address both mental and physical health needs within communities.
• Advocate for policy reform. Work toward healthcare policies that prioritize integrated care models, ensuring equitable access to comprehensive services for all individuals.
• Leverage technology thoughtfully. Utilize technological advancements to facilitate seamless communication among healthcare providers, enhancing coordinated care efforts.
• Expand integrated research opportunities. Invest in interdisciplinary research that explores the intersection of mental and physical health, identifies scalable integrated care models and builds a template for evidence-based approaches that support whole-person care.
By embracing these strategies, we can move toward a healthcare system that truly supports the whole person.
This work is not always easy—change rarely is. But we don't retreat from complexity. We burn forward with clarity, compassion and a shared commitment to doing better for every person, in every community.
The future of healthcare isn't about doing more. It's about doing it differently—and doing it together.
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