Promising Practices: Pushing the Envelope in Community Collaboration: The Behavioral Health in Medicine Integration Project At Central Vermont Medical Center

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodger Kessler ◽  
Margaret Joyal
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 215013272199688
Author(s):  
Ajeng J. Puspitasari ◽  
Dagoberto Heredia ◽  
Elise Weber ◽  
Hannah K Betcher ◽  
Brandon J. Coombes ◽  
...  

Background: This study aimed to explore clinicians’ perspectives on the current practice of perinatal mood and anxiety disorder (PMAD) management and strategies to improve future implementation. Methods: This study had a cross-sectional, descriptive design. A 35-item electronic survey was sent to clinicians (N = 118) who treated perinatal women and practiced at several community clinics at an academic medical center in the United States. Results: Among clinicians who provided care for perinatal women, 34.7% reported never receiving PMAD management training and 66.3% had less than 10 years of experience. Out of 10 patients who reported psychiatric symptoms, 47.8% of clinicians on average reported providing PMAD management to 1 to 3 patients and 40.7% noted that they conducted screening only when patient expresses PMAD symptoms. Suggested future improvements were providing training, developing a referral list, and establishing integrated behavioral health services. Conclusions: Results from this study indicated that while PMAD screening and management was implemented, improvements are warranted to meet established guidelines. Additionally, clinicians endorsed providing PMAD management to a small percentage of perinatal patients. Suggested strategies to increase adoption and implementation of PMAD management should be explored to improve access to behavioral health services for perinatal women.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (s1) ◽  
pp. s105-s106
Author(s):  
Charles Hebert ◽  
Gary Peksa ◽  
Joshua DeMott

Introduction:Behavioral health needs of attendees at mass gathering events who require emergency department (ED) evaluation are poorly understood. Appropriate resource allocation of mental health staff and other behavioral interventions necessary to support this patient population are also unclear.Aim:To describe behavioral characteristics and psychiatric resource utilization of patients presenting to a tertiary academic medical center emergency department from mass gathering events.Methods:Single-center retrospective study evaluating attendees at mass gathering events who presented to a Chicago ED. Electronic medical records for patients presenting between October 13, 2013, and December 31, 2015, were reviewed and descriptive analyses performed.Results:209 distinct records were reviewed. Most patients presented from large outdoor concerts (n = 186, 89%). Forty-two (20.1%) reported a mental health complaint at presentation, including concerns related to pre-existing psychiatric disturbances or onset of new symptoms. Twenty-seven of the total cohort (12.9%) endorsed a prior psychiatric history. Thirty-five (16.7%) reported use of prescribed psychotropic medications, including antidepressants, stimulants, mood stabilizers, and others. Diagnostic testing among the total sample included serum ethanol measurement (31.1%), urinary toxicology (25.4%), acetaminophen (6.2%), aspirin (5.3%), and creatine kinase measurements (11%). Computed brain tomography was ordered for 20 patients (9.6%). Twelve patients (5.7%) received an anxiolytic (lorazepam) and 113 (54.1%) received intravenous fluids. An antipsychotic (olanzapine) was administered to one patient (0.5%). There were no reports of suicidal ideation, but physical restraints for agitation were employed in 13 patients (6.2%). Police consultation occurred in 10 cases (4.8%). No formal psychiatric consultations were requested by ED providers.Discussion:Patients presenting to the emergency department from mass gathering events frequently endorse behavioral complaints requiring directed use of diagnostic and other emergency department resources for their ailments. The need for physical restraints and limited use of anxiolytics and antipsychotics in our sample suggest that psychiatric consultation is underutilized.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (29_suppl) ◽  
pp. 259-259
Author(s):  
Megan Begnoche ◽  
Dana Guyer ◽  
Susan F. Korber ◽  
Mary Anne Fenton

259 Background: The Lifespan Cancer Institute (LCI) identified strategies to improve the palliative care experience and outcomes by providing clinic to home telehealth services. LCI is an integrated academic medical center program combining three hospital programs operating at five outpatient sites. One quality goal is to embed and increase palliative care within the fabric of oncology by providing palliative telehealth in the home to avoid office visits, ED and hospital admissions. Methods: LCI’s multidisciplinary palliative care team, including administrators, physicians, advanced practice providers and community partner physicians assessed telehealth challenges with a vulnerable patient in the home setting. Process development included operations, technology, patient and staff education. The group modified existing Lifespan system workflows, clinic to clinic video for behavioral health and clinic to clinic for providers, to create the clinic to home method. This process benchmarked patient and behavioral health noting video differences with the clinic setting versus the home. Results: Outcome metrics include no show rate, chemotherapy within 14 days of death, ED/ICU within 30 days of death, patient and provider experience. Initial data shows no show rates decreased from 10% (January) to 6% (May) as telehealth increased. Patients marked deceased within 3 months of a LCI visit for January (n = 52) and May ( = 61) unfortunately did not have a negative trend for chemotherapy in the last 14 days of life (Jan: 8%, May 15%). ED and ICU visits both had modest decreases from January (ED 50%, ICU 29%) to May (ED 48%, ICU 21%). In anticipation of future Press Ganey results, patient feedback includes an increase of comfort while at home. Provider satisfaction increased with the ability to assess the patient in their own home instead of the sterile clinic environment. Encountered challenges include insurance restrictions for Rhode Island (not a rural state), technology, and remote trouble shooting. Conclusions: The success of clinic-to-home telehealth services set the foundation for the COVID-19 telehealth insurgence and led to the palliative team acting as role models to medical and radiation oncology. End of life oncology patients stayed home while having their palliative needs addressed remotely. The innovative approach to implementing telehealth services will serve as a model for future LCI telehealth programs including treatment education sessions, oral chemotherapy follow-up, survivorship and post hospital discharge assessments.


Author(s):  
Pia Engstrom ◽  
Matthew Bolton ◽  
Cynthia Bautista ◽  
Todd Barnes

INTRODUCTION Problems that worry patients throughout hospitalization are complex and varied, but they fall within the scope of safe, effective, patient-centered care. To our knowledge, there is no evidence describing the problems that worry patients in inpatient psychiatric units. AIM The purpose of this quality improvement project was to describe common themes of worry experienced by individuals in psychiatric inpatient units in order to improve patient experience. METHOD This project took place at an urban, safety net hospital at an academic medical center in the northeastern United States between March and December 2019. All patients across five inpatient psychiatric units were offered the Combined Assessment of Psychiatric Environments (CAPE) survey as they approached the end of their stay. RESULTS A total of 1,800 patients took the survey. Of these patients, 36% (650/1,800) patients responded never/sometimes to “During my hospitalization, I found solutions to problems that worried me,” and 46% (297/650) patients provided a response to the follow-up question “What are the problems that worry you the most?” Common themes of worry for inpatient behavioral health patients include (a) life in the hospital, (b) self, and (c) outside life. CONCLUSION Each of these worry themes that emerged from this thematic analysis has implications for behavioral health staff who are preparing the psychiatric/behavioral health inpatient for discharge. These themes can also be used to focus on a variety of quality improvement initiatives to improve the patients experience while in an inpatient psychiatric/behavioral health unit.


2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (8) ◽  
pp. 958-969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather J. Walter ◽  
Gina Kackloudis ◽  
Emily K. Trudell ◽  
Louis Vernacchio ◽  
Jonas Bromberg ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to assess feasibility, utilization, perceived value, and targeted behavioral health (BH) treatment self-efficacy associated with a collaborative child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) consultation and BH education program for pediatric primary care practitioners (PCPs). Eighty-one PCPs from 41 member practices of a statewide pediatric practice association affiliated with an academic medical center participated in a program comprising on-demand telephonic CAP consultation supported by an extensive BH learning community. Findings after 2 years of implementation suggest that the program was feasible for large-scale implementation, was highly utilized and valued by PCPs, and was attributed by PCPs with enhancing their BH treatment self-efficacy and the quality of their BH care. After participation in the program, nearly all PCPs believed that mild to moderate presentations of common BH problems can be effectively managed in the primary care setting, and PCP consultation utilization was congruent with that belief.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A797-A797
Author(s):  
Michele Gortakowski ◽  
Chelsea C Gordner

Abstract Objectives: With the publication of updated guidelines for care of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, there has been an increase in the presence of gender diversity in both mainstream media and medical literature. Several gaps currently exist in medical knowledge regarding long term effects of gender-affirming therapies. There is a lack of standardization in study design, patient sampling, and outcome measures, and most studies are retrospective. Here we describe the creation of both a retrospective and prospective repository of patients who presented to the Massachusetts Medical School-Baystate Medical Center (UMass-Baystate) pediatric gender program. Methods: Baystate Medical Center is located in western MA and is a tertiary referral center. A pediatric gender clinic was created in 2014. A repository containing both retrospective and prospective data was approved by the UMass-Baystate IRB to include patients ages 2 to 24 years of age who presented to our gender clinic. Retrospective data was obtained using the McKesson billing database. Sociodemographic, clinical and behavioral health data were collected. We are consenting individuals as they present to the clinic for the prospective component. Those that have consented fill out a survey at each visit. The repository has been approved to follow outcome data for 25 years. Results: To date, we have 218 individuals in the repository, 75 of which are in the prospective component. Age of presentation ranged from 6 yrs to 24 yrs with an average age of 15 yrs. 62% identified as transmale, 31% as transfemale and the remainder as gender fluid or other. 75% have been prescribed gender affirming hormone therapy (56% GnRH agonist therapy, 20% estrogen, 58% testosterone). Of those being followed prospectively, 76% identified as white, 19% Hispanic. 79% were satisfied or very satisfied with their care. Conclusions: Here we describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients that have presented to our gender clinic since 2014. The creation of our gender repository will allow us to assess sociodemographic, clinical and behavioral health outcomes of treatment, including metabolic parameters, bone health, and mental health outcomes in our pediatric population. Future projects include assessment of the change in cardiovascular risk in individuals on gender-affirming hormone therapy.


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