High-cost behavioral health patients account for a disproportionate number of hospitalizations. Patients with behavioral health conditions are also 16 times more likely to board (i.e., spend 12 or more hours in an ED) than patients without behavioral health conditions. Boarding not only exacerbates health care costs, but also delays ED response time (to all patients), and subjects patients to stressful, chaotic environments for extended periods of time. Increasing capacity of behavioral health services to treat patients on a timely basis can alleviate pressures on EDs and inpatient floors, improve patient outcomes, and ultimately, lower acute care utilization for this population. Telepsychiatry Intervention for Pediatric Mental Health Emergencies in Children’s Hospital Track 2 Example Model: Colorado (CHCO) Target Population Impacts Individuals Compared to children who received usual care, those who received telepsychiatry consultation realized: under age 18 Shorter ED lengths of stay presenting to an Median length of stay for telepsychiatry patients was 5.5 hours (as compared to 8.3 hours) ED with a Lower total patient charges behavioral health Median charges for telepsychiatry patients were $3,493 per patient (as compared to $8,611) complaint that Reduced likelihood of inpatient admission was not Patients who received telepsychiatry were nearly half as likely to be admitted to inpatient care as patients who received usual care were (OR =.59). Service
High-cost behavioral health patients account for a disproportionate number of hospitalizations. Patients with behavioral health conditions are also 16 times more likely to board (i.e., spend 12 or more hours in an ED) than patients without behavioral health conditions. Boarding not only exacerbates health care costs, but also delays ED response time (to all patients), and subjects patients to stressful, chaotic environments for extended periods of time. Increasing capacity of behavioral health services to treat patients on a timely basis can alleviate pressures on EDs and inpatient floors, improve patient outcomes, and ultimately, lower acute care utilization for this population. Track 2 Example Model: Telepsychiatry Intervention for Pediatric Mental Health Emergencies in Children’s Hospital Colorado (CHCO) Target Population Impacts Individuals under age 18 presenting to an ED with a behavioral health complaint that was not Compared to children who received usual care, those who received telepsychiatry consultation realized: Shorter ED lengths of stay Median length of stay for telepsychiatry patients was 5.5 hours (as compared to 8.3 hours) Lower total patient charges Median charges for telepsychiatry patients were $3,493 per patient (as compared to $8,611) Reduced likelihood of inpatient admission Patients who received telepsychiatry were nearly half as likely to be admitted to inpatient care as patients who received usual care were (OR =.59). Service
20180109%20SHIFT-Care%20Example%20Models.docx