A philosophy for behavioral health integration in primary care.

Abstract

In response to a call for a philosophy that transcends the professional boundaries that threaten behavioral health integration in primary care, this essay explores the thesis that such a philosophy exists in medicine's core purpose. Drawing on the work of Eric Cassell, a philosophy may be determined that melds the values, themes, and constructs of individual models for behavioral health integration in primary care toward a single, overriding purpose. Effecting such integration challenges current trends in medicine by refocusing medicine on its ethical core. (PsycINFO Database Record