Bridging the Gap Between Hospital and Community Mental Health Services for Frequent Emergency Department Visitors
Publication: Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
4 March 2022
Abstract
Inappropriate emergency department (ED) use is costly. A system navigation service was developed to connect individuals with repeated ED presentations due to mental health or substance use to community services. Management, staff, and clients (n = 37) participated in interviews or focus groups to identify implementation challenges and associated solutions. Referrals were improved through ED staff support and automating the process. The outreach process, decreased service duration, and prompt support with connection to services facilitated program delivery. Two newly funded programs addressed the limited capacity of other services, and technology facilitated communication. Attention to partnerships and flexibility in the design were essential.
Résumé
L’utilisation inappropriée du service des urgences est coûteuse. Un système de navigation a été conçu pour mettre les services communautaires en relation avec les personnes qui se présentent régulièrement au service des urgences en raison d’un problème de santé mentale ou de consommation de substances. La direction, les employés et les clients (n = 37) ont participé à des entrevues ou à des groupes de discussion afin de repérer les défis liés à la mise en œuvre du programme et les solutions qui y sont associées. Les recommandations liées au programme ont été enrichies grâce au soutien du personnel du service des urgences et à l’automatisation du processus. Le processus de sensibilisation, la réduction de la durée des services et la rapidité de l’accès aux services ont permis de mettre en œuvre le programme. Deux nouveaux programmes subventionnés ont été créés pour pallier les capacités limitées des autres services, et la technologie a permis de simplifier la communication à ce sujet. L’attention portée aux partenariats et à la souplesse des programmes conçus a été essentielle.
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Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
Volume 41 • Number 1 • January 2022
Pages: 1 - 17
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Version of record online: 4 March 2022
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Rebecca Cherner, Alexia Polillo, Jonathan Samosh, John Sylvestre, Jennifer Rae, Donna Pettey, and Tim Aubry. 2022. Bridging the Gap Between Hospital and Community Mental Health Services for Frequent Emergency Department Visitors. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health.
41(1): 1-17. https://doi.org/10.7870/cjcmh-2022-001
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