Handling Behavioral Health Cases Successfully: Here Is How!

By Author: Jaun Paul
Total Articles: 53
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A facility - SSM DePaul - that had learnt it the hard way is taking a different and successful approach to training staff that tend to behavioral health patients. The facility learnt that this is a tough area after a CMS visit, suspension of Medicare payments, and a corrective action plan.


A reader explained how his facility is successfully handling its behavioral health cases, especially the ones with patients who may be agitated or anxious.


The behavioral health unit uses two protocols, one on the front and one as a follow-up after incidents that involve seclusion or restraint, the reader informed. He is a psychiatric technician at the hospital and the lead instructor for its Crisis Prevention and Intervention program.


Firstly, medical histories of behavioral health patients are gathered in the facility's emergency department. The reader said that they began a system a few years ago where all the patients must go through the ED prior ...
... to coming to their unit. They get medical clearance from a doctor in the ED plus meet with one of their social workers in the ED for admission assessment.


The reader said that they get collateral information from family members also if they are with the patient. According to him, getting this information in the ED has been really helpful as they came to know a lot of the patient medical historyin addition to any past traumatic events. Sometimes, behavioral health patients are hesitant to reveal personal traumas, but that information can be very helpful for staff to know.


When you are aware of any physical, psychotic, traumatic or histories of violence, you can plan ahead of time before those patients come to your building. This helps in preventing situations which may agitate the patients once they arrive, and then you can adjust the staffing as needed.


Moreover, the unit also employs a ‘psych aggressive protocol' with patients who may become violent, which prevents many physical interventions and the risk of injuries to both staff and patients.


And if a restraint or seclusion must be used, there's a process after the fact that provides an education and training opportunity.


The unit trains eyes on training its staff to be advocates for their patients and to use verbal interventions.

Provides weekly digest newswire about Medicare payments, and offers advanced Learning Opportunities about behavioral health and patient medical history according to 2010 OIG Work Plan.