Citation

Ivany CG, Bickel KW, Rangel T, Sarver J, Dinkel-Holzer J, Sarmiento DM, Hoge CW. Psychiatr. Serv. 2019; 70(6): 522-525.

Affiliation

Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Virginia (Ivany). Office of the Surgeon General, United States Army, Falls Church (Bickel, Rangel, Sarver, Dinkel-Holzer, Sarmiento, Hoge). Marcela Horvitz-Lennon, M.D., and Kenneth Minkoff, M.D., are editors of this column.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Psychiatric Association)

DOI

10.1176/appi.ps.201800343

PMID

30947638

Abstract

Large health care systems are seeking to reduce variation in care delivery and improve outcomes. This column describes the U.S. Army health care system's transformation to a service line management model and the impact on behavioral health care between 2013 and 2017. An evaluation found a promising association between the service line model and greater use of standard outpatient clinical programs, more frequent engagement of patients with serious conditions, and less use of inpatient services. The observational nature of these preliminary findings does not permit causal inferences; however, the service line model may help health care systems reduce variation between geographically distinct care delivery locations and improve performance.

Language: en

Keywords

Mental health systems/hospitals; Military psychiatry