Breaking Down Barriers to Care for Behavioral Health Patients
Table of Contents
CHALLENGE:
Information silos cause delays in care during behavioral health crisis
Hospital emergency departments are flooded with patients who need immediate care every day. Sometimes the appropriate information to accompany the patient makes it to the hospital but other times it doesn’t. When it does, it’s often faxed, in fragmented portions, or incomplete. This in itself makes caring for patients difficult but what happens when a patient requires behavioral health services?
There are several barriers to care for behavioral health crisis patients and it begins with the lack of clinical information needed because of incompatible systems.
To further complicate, special restrictions on access are placed on clinical information regarding a patient’s behavioral health. Not having the appropriate information or resources leads to increased time in the hospital and added stress during an already challenging time.
SOLUTION:
Accessible and complete PHI at all times with PH Capture
PH Capture provides an efficient solution to these challenges with electronic faxing and document management. PH Capture gathers all incoming information about a patient – clinical documents, care plans, medication lists, etc. into one central location available to all people who need it when they need it.
RESULTS:
Shorter wait times and decreased ALOS
Information once buried in paper is now easily identifiable and simple to keep track of. PH Capture automates processes for clinical information with streamlined, customized workflows specific to behavioral health needs.
Complete visibility of needed clinical information will close the communication loop and increase patient satisfaction. Depending on the state, patient needs, and care facility, a hospital can be required to keep patients for a certain number of days and hours once they present in the ED. The sooner the treatment can begin the sooner the crisis can be adverted – decreasing the patient’s length of stay and opening beds for other patients.
Integrations between an EHR and PH Capture ensure all information is stored in the patient record and easily accessible.
“We have transparent access to the information we need to take action and continuously improve.”
