Dr Santopietro Explains the Increasing Focus on Behavioral Health

Although, the recent string of national tragedies has brought attention to behavioral health, healthcare reform has had an even larger impact on people talking about behavioral health, according to John Santopietro, MD, chief clinical officer of behavioral health at Carolinas HealthCare System in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Dr Santopietro discussed the recent population health focus on mental well-being during his session at the US News Hospital of Tomorrow conference in Washington, DC. He said that health systems are waking up to the fact that behavioral health is essential to healthcare reform.

“[Behavioral health has] actually been referred to as the ‘secret sauce’ of healthcare reform,” he said.