Payers and providers need efficient administrative services for profitability. With all the capital and human resources invested in electronic health records and data exchange security, why are documentation errors still one of the highest cause of adverse determinations? The number of claims slowed by lack of/incomplete/poor EHR documentation became crystal clear in recent reports.
Over the past 40 years Health, United States provided an annual picture of the health of the United States, identified variations in health status, modifiable risk factors, and health care utilization among people by age, race and ethnicity, gender, income level, and geographic location. Examining long-term health trends inform the development and implementation of effective health policies and programs.
Behavioral health documentation is often the communication tool used by and between professionals. Records not properly documented with all relevant and important facts can prevent the next practitioner from furnishing sufficient services. The outcome can cause unintended complications.
Recruiting and retaining qualified Medical Directors and Chief Medical Officers challenge healthcare organizations of all types. Whether you employ or contract these medical professionals, consider two recent cases as reminders of potential issues far different than recruitment and retention and considerably more financially damaging. Significant risks beyond recruitment exist and staying informed about new Stark Law rulings pays.
Behavioral healthcare cuts both ways for payers and providers. Shortages of qualified expertise makes filling positions difficult to impossible, while the need for services grows on many fronts and in many populations. The Daily Briefing How 2 health systems are rethinking mental health care for a value-based world, from the Advisory Board, reinforces the connections between behavioral and physical health. This identifies tangible targets, like reducing behavioral health readmissions, for improving patient care and institutional financial health.
Healthcare is a labor-driven service that depends on the talent and skills of every staff member, from the C-suite to nurses. Finding and keeping this talent is paramount to running a cost-effective organization that provides exceptional care was an observation from an article by Mackenzie Bean by Becker Hospital Review. Growing turnover rates significantly impact profitability.
Payers and providers spend significant energy recruiting and retaining all levels of behavioral health professionals. The access to psychiatrists acts as the 'canary in a coal mine' signalling the impending challenges. Lacking mental health expertise hits organizations at a time of increasing use spurred on by value-based care.
Behavioral health claims skyrocket for any number and combination of factors. Behavioral health care will increase in cost and utilization with a number of factors driving this, including the:
The greatest need for mental health professionals are found in the more populated east coast and remote northern states. Large populations and rural settings significantly impact behavioral health staff shortages. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released the most current data. The table shows the 10 states with the worst behavioral health professions clinical coverage, the national average, and the 10 states with the best BH coverage.
Despite industry uncertainty about the fate of healthcare under the new administration and Republican Congress, health system leaders move ahead and are preparing for the future. A recent Premier Inc. survey show the target areas for improvements within their systems. The results signal growth concerns and why the leaders will not wait for Capitol Hill results.