title: Improving Service Coordination and Reducing Mental Health Disparities Through Adoption of Electronic Health Records.
abstract: Despite widespread support for removing barriers to the use of electronic health records (EHRs) in behavioral health care, adoption of EHRs in behavioral health settings lags behind adoption in other areas of health care. The authors discuss barriers to use of EHRs among behavioral health care practitioners, suggest solutions to overcome these barriers, and describe the potential benefits of EHRs to reduce behavioral health care disparities. Thoughtful and comprehensive strategies will be needed to design EHR systems that address concerns about policy, practice, costs, and stigma and that protect patients' privacy and confidentiality. However, these goals must not detract from continuing to challenge the notion that behavioral health and general medical health should be treated as separate and distinct. Ultimately, utilization of EHRs among behavioral health care providers will improve the coordination of services and overall patient care, which is essential to reducing mental health disparities.
authors.affiliation: Dr. McGregor, Dr. Wrenn, and Dr. Holden are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dr. Mack is with the Department of Family Medicine, and Dr. Satcher is with the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia (e-mail: bmcgregor@msm.edu ).
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McGregor
authors.affiliation: Dr. McGregor, Dr. Wrenn, and Dr. Holden are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dr. Mack is with the Department of Family Medicine, and Dr. Satcher is with the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia (e-mail: bmcgregor@msm.edu ).
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mack
authors.affiliation: Dr. McGregor, Dr. Wrenn, and Dr. Holden are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dr. Mack is with the Department of Family Medicine, and Dr. Satcher is with the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia (e-mail: bmcgregor@msm.edu ).
authors.forename: Glenda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wrenn
authors.affiliation: Dr. McGregor, Dr. Wrenn, and Dr. Holden are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dr. Mack is with the Department of Family Medicine, and Dr. Satcher is with the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia (e-mail: bmcgregor@msm.edu ).
authors.forename: Ruth S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.affiliation: Dr. McGregor, Dr. Wrenn, and Dr. Holden are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dr. Mack is with the Department of Family Medicine, and Dr. Satcher is with the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia (e-mail: bmcgregor@msm.edu ).
authors.forename: Kisha
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Holden
authors.affiliation: Dr. McGregor, Dr. Wrenn, and Dr. Holden are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dr. Mack is with the Department of Family Medicine, and Dr. Satcher is with the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia (e-mail: bmcgregor@msm.edu ).
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Satcher
mesh_terms: D003219:Confidentiality; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D018907:Privacy; D011787:Quality of Health Care