The study, Behavioral Health Patients Utilizing Acute Care Services in Cuyahoga County, was conducted from June 1 through June 30 to collect information on behavioral health patients (psychiatric and addictions) utilizing acute care services (emergency departments and inpatient psychiatry/addictions services) across five hospital systems in Cuyahoga County. It revealed… 

• 778 patients in emergency departments
• 167 patients in medical beds 
• 631 patients awaiting an inpatient psych bed
• 288 patients with a primary alcohol or other drug diagnosis

Seventy two percent of the reported behavioral health patients were appropriate for a lower level of care versus an inpatient admission.

“Over the past few years this has been a reoccurring topic of discussion among our Behavioral Health RoundTable of Cuyahoga County,” said Pam Waite, MSN, RN-BC, MHSA, director of Healthcare Workforce and NEONI operations, The Center for Health Affairs. “When patients with behavioral health needs are boarding in the emergency department it creates longer wait times for all patients and when boarding on medical units it challenges staff who are not familiar in working with behavioral health patients and presents a risk to quality, safe and therapeutic care for all patients”

View the full 30-day study summary on behavioral health patients utilizing acute care services in Cuyahoga County. Contact us to learn more.