Kara M Peters1, Gary Sadler2,3, Elizabeth Miller2, Ana Radovic2. 1. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and kara.mackinson@chp.edu. 2. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and. 3. West Penn Hospital, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of mental health problems among adolescents in the United States is a major public health concern. However, the uptake of mental health treatment is low. Integrating behavioral health into primary care is 1 research-informed strategy to increase engagement in treatment. Facilitators of and barriers to implementation of integrated behavioral health in a pediatric primary care setting are not well delineated. METHODS: We examined the effectiveness of 2 mental health quality improvement strategies: an electronic referral and a social work follow-up protocol. We analyzed the following measures: uptake rate of first mental health appointments, overall use of mental health appointments, and first and overall mental health appointment show rate. RESULTS: Overall use rate improved after implementation of electronic referral, with 13 consecutive points above the median. First appointment show rates improved with a special cause run occurring after adding social work students to the mental health quality improvement team. First appointment show rate improved from a monthly average of 51% (November 2014 to March 2016) to 78% (April 2016 to December 2016). Use rate improved initially with increased efforts in assisting patients with scheduling; show rate improved more slowly after an emphasis on scheduling patients exhibiting treatment readiness. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that a number of facilitators can increase the effective use of mental health services in an integrated adolescent clinical setting. These include an electronic referral through a shared electronic health record, multidisciplinary collaboration, and care management by social workers equipped with a variety of clinical and care coordination skills.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of mental health problems among adolescents in the United States is a major public health concern. However, the uptake of mental health treatment is low. Integrating behavioral health into primary care is 1 research-informed strategy to increase engagement in treatment. Facilitators of and barriers to implementation of integrated behavioral health in a pediatric primary care setting are not well delineated. METHODS: We examined the effectiveness of 2 mental health quality improvement strategies: an electronic referral and a social work follow-up protocol. We analyzed the following measures: uptake rate of first mental health appointments, overall use of mental health appointments, and first and overall mental health appointment show rate. RESULTS: Overall use rate improved after implementation of electronic referral, with 13 consecutive points above the median. First appointment show rates improved with a special cause run occurring after adding social work students to the mental health quality improvement team. First appointment show rate improved from a monthly average of 51% (November 2014 to March 2016) to 78% (April 2016 to December 2016). Use rate improved initially with increased efforts in assisting patients with scheduling; show rate improved more slowly after an emphasis on scheduling patients exhibiting treatment readiness. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that a number of facilitators can increase the effective use of mental health services in an integrated adolescent clinical setting. These include an electronic referral through a shared electronic health record, multidisciplinary collaboration, and care management by social workers equipped with a variety of clinical and care coordination skills.
Authors: Dana Sanderson; Sandra Braganza; Kaitlyn Philips; Tashi Chodon; Renee Whiskey; Patrizia Bernard; Andrea Rich; Kevin Fiori Journal: J Prim Care Community Health Date: 2021 Jan-Dec
Authors: Van C Willis; Kelly Jean Thomas Craig; Yalda Jabbarpour; Elisabeth L Scheufele; Yull E Arriaga; Monica Ajinkya; Kyu B Rhee; Andrew Bazemore Journal: JMIR Med Inform Date: 2022-01-21