An Interdisciplinary Approach to Recovery

Posted on: December 20, 2021Philadelphia
Interdisciplinary care at Girard Medical Center: an illustration showing the patient in the center of a circle surrounded by the entire care team. At the top is the Behavioral Health Consultant then, going clockwise around the circle, the Provider, the Billing Specialist, Care Coordinators, and last, the Medical Legal Team
Interdisciplinary care at Girard Medical Center

Care at DVCH – Girard Medical Center is characterized by an interdisciplinary team-based approach. Many of our patients are struggling with substance use disorder and have a complex web of needs that are most effectively addressed when seen by multiple members of the GMC team.

There is a medical-legal team that can assist with a wide range of concerns, including applying for government welfare programs, replacing lost or expired personal identification/documents, and personal legal matters as well. We also have a Behavioral Health Coordinator who can offer onsite counseling as well as referrals to community and mental health resources. Additionally, we have our MAT program coordinators who check-in with patients and engage in care coordination with local recovery programs and pharmacies. My role is to screen patients for social determinants of health and make community resource referrals as well as internal referrals to these GMC team members.

 Due to this approach, sometimes new patients will meet with three people individually before seeing the provider. Sometimes this can be overwhelming or frustrating for patients who are simply expecting to get a prescription. However, the recovery process is often more complex than simply taking medication. A patient’s holistic needs should be understood to better help them achieve their recovery goals. We also try to streamline this process by seeing the patient together, when possible, rather than individually. 

However, it is not possible for each of us to see all patients. Thus, an important aspect of an interdisciplinary approach is efficient and open communication between each of us. A key component is that our communication is two-way. For instance, we all report to the provider to keep them updated on how the patient is doing but the provider can also request for us to see the patient if they find they need our services. 

Services that help address the social determinants of addiction. A blue circle surrounded by an orange circle. In the center it reads "Assessment, Evidence Based Treatment, Substance Use Monitoring, Clinical and Case Management, Recovery Support Programs, Continuing Care." The outer circle reads "Vocational Services, Mental Health Services, Medical Services, Educational Services, HIV/AIDS Services, Legal Services, and Family Services"
Services that help address the social determinants of addiction.
Photo by the National Institute on
Drug Abuse from DrugAbuse.gov.

Communication is especially important for me as I make many internal referrals. For instance, if a patient screens positive for interpersonal violence during my social determinants of health questionnaire, with their consent, I will give them the number to the domestic violence hotline and then I will direct the patient to the rest of the team. I can refer them to medical legal to pursue any legal action such as filing a Protection from Abuse order and to the Behavioral Health Coordinator for counseling and mental health resources. In this way, we address interpersonal violence and health as a multifaceted issue rather than a single concern.

Overall, the road to recovery can be difficult without receiving an interdisciplinary approach to care. This may translate to longer visits initially but we hope this also means decreased chances of relapsing and being lost to follow up.

 

About the Author:

Jessica Wu

Pronouns:
she/her

Host Site:
Girard Medical Center 


Position Title:
Care Navigator 


Where are you from?
Ann Arbor, MI 


Why did you decide to join NHC?  
I wanted to serve in an environment that would not only allow me to learn more about  what I can do/what resources are available to help decrease health disparities, but also  one that would support me in growing professionally.  

Host Site

801 W. Girard Avenue
801 W. Girard Avenue