Insights from collaborative care: A review of the evidence for depression and diabetes

The field of integrated care has undergone rapid development over the past 20 years with the introduction of a variety of models and myriad studies to evaluate their effectiveness and costs. Collaborative care is an evidence-based model that uses a nonphysician care manager who may provide screening, symptom management, and treatment by coordinating care between a primary care physician and a psychiatrist. This approach has been shown to be particularly effective for patients with depression and diabetes and improves measures of both mental health and glycemic control. The use of the collaborative care model provides the opportunity to improve the health of patients while enhancing medical services and decreasing health care costs.