May is Mental Health Awareness Month and this year we’re seeing unprecedented cases of depression, anxiety and substance use disorders being fueled by the effects of COVID-19 on our economic, social and emotional well-being. If you haven’t seen President Biden’s statement, check it out as it reinforces all that BHG is doing in how we deliver holistic care. To support our efforts of removing barriers to treatment and improving the patient experience, we’re working to enhance patient documentation and coordination of care beyond our treatment center “walls.”
Optimizing patient documentation
Most of you are familiar with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.), a short, structured diagnostic interview developed jointly by psychiatrists and clinicians in the United States and Europe that has a high degree of sensitivity to identify depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, PTSD and psychosis. What we’ve done is built that evidence-based screening tool into our patient documentation to help the admissions process go faster while helping us get to know more about our patients and the social risk factors that may be motivating their behaviors.
There are two parts of the M.I.N.I., but we carved it up differently. The first section is about what level of care a patient needs. The second is a comprehensive assessment to get to know them as a person. We also removed redundant questions that don’t provide us insight into whether they need to be admitted.
Meaningful connections through coordination of care
We know there are a lot of co-occurring mental health issues going on in our country that are negatively impacting quality of life and sustained recovery. Beyond identifying and treating the diagnosis, our counseling staff and case managers are collaborating to connect patients to community services that address the difficulties our screening tool uncovers.
As part of our documentation process, we’re now obtaining permission from our patients to share their information as we coordinate with other doctors and resources that can address issues such as housing and food security, employment, transportation and childcare. Many treatment programs claim they do this, but we are fulfilling our promise and making sure we treat the diagnosis and the social factors at the same time.
We’re not just giving them a list of numbers to call and sending them on their way. We’re helping them make that connection. If they schedule an appointment with a local resource, we ask them how they’re getting there. If they don’t have transportation, we help them access it. While those specific programs might exist to help individuals, they’re oftentimes not set up for ease of access. Those of us who work in the system sometimes forget that.
If it’s assessed, it must be addressed. Go beyond the regulatory requirements of a treatment plan and think about what’s behind the diagnosis. What’s the motivation behind a patient’s behavior? Get to know the details of their lives and living environments.
Be a guide for patients beyond appointments. Know the resources in your community and connect patients to them. The system we expect patients to navigate is complex and baffling which can deter them from getting treatment. The most important thing we can do is help them take that next right step to address their complete well-being.
With the heightened attention to destigmatize mental health, more people are turning to us for life-saving help. Let’s do all that we can to be approachable, simplify admission and set them up for a strong start to a life of full recovery.
Have questions, ideas to share or feedback about how the screening tool is working or not working? Reach out to me at [email protected] or 603-306-6047. As always, please stay informed about COVID-19-related updates on our website.
