Citation

Smith TE, Haselden M, Corbeil T, Tang F, Radigan M, Essock SM, Wall MM, Dixon LB, Wang R, Frimpong E, Lamberti S, Schneider M, Olfson M. Psychiatr. Serv. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York (Smith, Haselden, Corbeil, Wall, Dixon, Olfson); Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York (Smith, Essock, Dixon); Office of Performance Measurement and Evaluation, New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany (Tang, Radigan, Wang, Frimpong); Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York (Lamberti); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, New York (Schneider).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Psychiatric Association)

DOI

10.1176/appi.ps.201900233

PMID

31590622

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether communication between inpatient and outpatient mental health providers during patients' inpatient stays was associated with whether patients attended postdischarge appointments.

METHODS: Psychiatric inpatient medical records of 189 Medicaid recipients at two hospitals were reviewed to document whether inpatient staff had communicated with current or prior outpatient providers. Medicaid claims provided demographic, clinical, and outpatient attendance data. Associations between provider communications and follow-up care for patients who had or had not received outpatient mental health care within the 30 days prior to admission were evaluated.

RESULTS: Inpatient staff communicated with outpatient providers for 118 (62%) patients. For patients who had not received outpatient care within 30 days of admission, compared with those who had, communication was associated with increased odds of attending timely outpatient appointments (odds ratio=2.73, 95% confidence interval=1.09-6.84).

CONCLUSIONS: Communication with outpatient providers may be especially important for patients who were not engaged in outpatient care prior to admission.

Language: en

Keywords

Inpatient treatment; continuity of care; discharge planning; quality of care