Behavioral medicine, clinical health psychology, and cost offset.
The use of medical services is a function of several interacting psychological and social variables as well as a function of physical malfunction. The clinical significance of addressing patients' psychosocial issues has only occasionally been considered. However, the shift in health care economics toward health care maintenance is responsible for the increased interest in interventions in the domain of behavioral medicine and health psychology. Evidence is reviewed for 6 mechanistic pathways by which behavioral interventions can maximize clinical care and result in significant economic benefits. The rationale for further integration of behavioral and biomedicine interventions is also reviewed.
Friedman
R
R
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Sobel
D
D
Myers
P
P
Caudill
M
M
Benson
H
H
D001524:Behavioral Medicine; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D011586:Psychology, Clinical; D014481:United States