Within the medically complex patient population, 57 percent report having a mental or substance use disorder in addition to their physical illness, as noted in a recent Milliman report.1 To reduce unnecessary medical spend and meet the needs of the behavioral health patient population, hospitals are finding partnership as a solution.
Three areas of improved hospital efficiencies through the support of a joint-venture or contract management partner include:
- Emergency department relief
Through the guidance of a focused partner, hospitals can successfully deploy needed behavioral health resources across care settings, in turn helping relieve emergency department (ED) capacity strains. Getting patients out of the ED and to the right level of care improves outcomes, helps the ED focus on patients in need of emergency treatment and allows the entire hospital to run more efficiently. - Improved data access and sharing
A hospital’s ability to achieve better outcomes is impacted by its access to the latest behavioral health data and its ability to apply these findings at the local level to enhance outcomes.2 The right partner will have access to best-in-class resources and data to improve patient outcomes. - Technology adoption
Increased technology utilization, such as wearable devices and telehealth services, can enable providers to better deliver preventive, personalized care solutions. Partnership can help hospitals gain access to the latest solutions without the heavy lift of developing from the ground up.
As the aging patient population continues to grow, so will the number of patients experiencing both mental and physical illnesses. Through the guidance of a focused behavioral health expert, hospitals can begin to see improvements in their performance, leading to optimal outcomes within the geriatric patient population.
Read our white paper, “Enhancing Adult Behavioral Health Outcomes: Three Advantages of Partnership” to learn how we can help your hospital optimize its current offering to meet the needs of the aging patient population.
References:
- Davenport, S., Gray, T. J., & Melek, S. (2020, August). How do individuals with behavioral health conditions contribute to physical and total healthcare spending? Milliman Research Report. https://www.milliman.com/-/media/milliman/pdfs/articles/milliman-high-cost-patient-study-2020.ashx
- Judah, R., Allen, D. S., Rabinowitz, D., Piltch, M., & Karlinskaya, O. (2021). The Future of Behavioral Health. Deloitte Insights. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/health-care/future-of-behavioral-health.html
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2019). Older Adults Living With Serious Mental Illness: The State of the Behavioral Health Workforce. https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/pep19-olderadults-smi.pdf
