Using Institutional Patient Flow Maps to Optimize Psychiatric Treatment

Industries Profiled:
Health Care


Companies Profiled:
Baylor University Medical Center; Detroit Receiving Hospital; Kona Community Hospital; Medical City Dallas Hospital; North Shore Medical Center (Boston); Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center (Detroit); Oregon Health & Sciences University Hospital; Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital; UCLA Medical Center; University of Colorado Hospital; University of North Carolina Hospitals; University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital

Study Snapshot

This report will help companies gain a better understanding of how psychiatric patients "fall through the cracks" of the mental health system. Specifically, the study addresses issues such as communication gaps between patient and healthcare provider, and patients who are more likely to "fall through the cracks" in the healthcare delivery process. In addition, the study looks at what decisions are made along the way and by whom, and considers how healthcare could be improved for these critical patients.

The report includes detailed maps that outline patient movements and key provider decisions from the moment a person enters the hospital to the time of discharge from either the emergency department or inpatient ward.

Pharmaceutical companies that understand the psychiatric care system have increased influence with key decision makers and greater success in positioning psychiatric therapeutics. By reading this report, your company will be in a better position to influence key decision makers in the psychiatric healthcare continuum and contribute to improvements in the psychiatric patient care process. In turn, these efforts can raise disease and treatment awareness and ultimately enhance market share for psychiatric therapeutics.

Key Findings

Studying these finding will help your company understand interactions between psychiatric patients and institutions that provide emergency care for these individuals.

Best Practices LLC analysts identified several key insights into the healthcare administered to psychiatric patients. Key findings include:

• The greatest differences in emergency services were found between what can be classified as Community Resource Intensive Hospital and Stabilization Focused Hospital emergency departments – This report discusses the differences between Community Resource Intensive Hospitals and Stabilization Focused Hospitals. The report details the community-based approach to care at Community Resource Intensive Hospitals vs. the focus on stabilizing psychiatric patients and moving them to the next level of care as seen at Stabilization Focused Hospitals. The report also identifies differences between these two categories in areas such as decision makers, patient care algorithms and patient care improvement opportunities.
• Patient success in the healthcare system depends on a number of individual factors, such as socioeconomic status and personal support – This study includes details on various individual factors that impact patient outcomes. Specific topics include how socioeconomic status and personal support networks impact care at both Community Resource Intensive and Stabilization Focused institutions.
• In addition to hospital type and personal factors, other issues not specific to the hospital or individual patient further affect the success of a patient in the mental health system - The study also looks at other factors that affect patient care, including state budget cuts for mental health services, reduced mental health insurance benefits, inadequate housing resources for recovering patients, privacy laws and the stigma of mental illness.

Chapter 1: Key Findings & Recommendations
• Key Findings
• Recommendations

Chapter 2: Patient Flow Analysis
• Arrival
• Triage
• Medication
• Assessment
• Admission Decision
• Inpatient Admission
• Inpatient Discharge
• ED Release
• Disposition
• Follow-up

Chapter 3: Spotlight Issues
• The Role of the Psychiatric Emergency Department Page
• Program of Assertive Community Treatment
• Mobile Care Teams
• Recidivism Reduction Program

Chapter 4: Hospital Profiles & Maps
• Hospital Profiles
• Maps

List of Charts & Exhibits

Psychiatric Emergency Goals
Models for Emergency Care
Voluntary Arrival of Psychotic Patients at Hospital Emergency Departments
Common Assessment Criteria for Admission
Rates of Admission of Psychotic Patients
Discharge Readiness Factors
Factors Favoring ED Release
Integrated Mental Health Intervention Map
Hospital A Patient Flow
Hospital B Patient Flow
Hospital C Patient Flow
Hospital D Patient Flow
Hospital E Patient Flow
Hospital G Patient Flow
Hospital H Patient Flow
Hospital I Patient Flow
Hospital J Patient Flow
Hospital K Patient Flow
Hospital L Patient Flow
Hospital M Patient Flow