Behavioral health redesign more efficient, improves patient outcomes

LAS VEGAS — Redesigning a behavioral health system improved efficiency and outcomes for a large patient population, according to a poster presented at the National Council for Behavioral Health annual conference.

“Southcentral Foundation’s vision is a native community that enjoys physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness; the mission is to work together with the native community to achieve wellness through health and related services,” Michelle Baker, MBA, and K.J. Worbey, MS, LPA, of Southcentral Foundation, Anchorage, Alaska, wrote in the poster. “The organization has developed and implemented comprehensive health-related services to meet the changing needs of the native community, enhance culture and empower individuals and families to take charge of their lives.”

To address behavioral health care system issues such as long wait time for therapy services, high appointment cancellation rates, low customer satisfaction and the idea that all needs are met with traditional therapy, researchers developed a redesign strategy that incorporated a behavioral health consultant for same day access, community case management, co-location consults and services in primary care and Learning Circles.

Prior to implementation, they consulted with their CEO and board of directors, launched a design team and engaged behavioral health staff. They conducted multiple tests of change, following the plan-do-study-act method, and applied their findings to the redesign.

As a result, customer-owner satisfaction improved by 96%.

Researchers found a “better match” of customer-owner needs to services, likely due to the behavioral health consultant at first visit, which identified specific needs.

Health care access and appointment cancellation rates also improved.

Average wait times for intake decreased from 42 days to 7 days, following system redesign.

Researchers plan to take additional steps in implementing the redesign, including facilitator training, more offerings at multiple locations in the community and on evenings and weekends, further integration of Psychiatry and Master Level Therapist into primary care, developing a data dashboard of key behavioral health clinical and operational performance indicators, and annual reviews of processes and strategy for sustainability. – by Amanda Oldt

Reference:

Baker M and Worbey KJ. Behavioral health redesign: improving efficiency and outcomes for large populations. Presented at: The National Council for Behavioral Health Conference; March 7-9, 2016; Las Vegas.

Disclosure: Healio.com/Psychiatry was unable to confirm relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.