For quite some time, insurers and healthcare providers have been moving towards a value-based healthcare model, and away from the traditional fee-for-service payment system. In value-based care, providers are incentivized based on the quality of care they provide and the meaningful treatment outcomes used to improve patient care. In the traditional fee-for-service model, practitioners are paid for each particular service rendered, essentially rewarding medical providers for volume and quantity of services provided, regardless of the outcome. The change is meant to give clients the best care possible while at the same time placing an emphasis on utilizing cost-effective treatment solutions. In order to continue shifting the paradigm towards value-based care, electronic health records are becoming more and more important. 

With opioid addiction reaching critical levels, finding alternative options for pain management is vital. It’s time for medical practitioners to start investigating other forms of treatment for pain and minor mental health issues. According to Medical News Today, more and more studies have shown that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can help people cope with chronic pain.

So, why aren’t more health professionals offering this alternative to patients? The problem may lie in the lack of adequate pain management training available to behavioral health physicians. CBT and other non-pharmacological treatments are not being used for a variety of reasons. The most common reason is unfamiliarity, but there’s also time-pressure, patient demands for convenience, and it’s easier to prescribe medication. Many physicians are also aware that the use of opioids does little to change the severity of pain experienced by patients. Therefore, the opioid crisis can be diminished through the widespread implementation of CBT and other alternatives.

Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking, continued use despite harmful consequences, and long-lasting changes in the brain. It can affect families, relationships and careers, as well as the mental health of the person suffering from the addiction. Some people may downplay their addictions as fairly harmless, but more often than not, they are damaging to the person suffering from the addiction and the people around them. The study of epigenetics, in relation to addiction, is an important step in curbing and treating them in the long run.