Electronic Medical Records: Make Resources Available for Behavioral Health Care

--by Kim Firth, Endowment for Health Program Director

The Affordable Care Act and recent complementary federal legislation reinforced the importance of behavioral health to overall health.   Insurers are now required to treat mental health and substance use disorders like other illnesses – ending historical discriminatory practices that limited visits, required higher co-payments for patients, and generally managed behavioral health services differently from other health services.   Policy finally supports what science has long demonstrated.  The head is part of the body. 

We know that far too many Americans and Granite Staters have unmet behavioral health needs.  Lack of insurance coverage, or under-insurance, has contributed significantly to this unmet need.  We also know that patients have better outcomes when behavioral health needs are addressed in the treatment of other health conditions; and conversely, when health conditions are considered in the treatment of behavioral health problems.  So how do we begin to make this important policy paradigm shift a reality at the practice level?  Today, behavioral health care is largely delivered through specialists that are not integrated with primary care.  Integrating behavioral health and primary care and promoting “medical homes” (subject for another blog) are important strategies for the future of our health care delivery system.    There is another strategy that may be able to promote behavioral health as part of overall health – utilization of electronic medical record systems. 

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) included $20 billion in incentives for health care providers to establish electronic health record systems.  An electronic health record is simply a health record in digital format that can be shared across different health care settings.  An electronic health record system allows your doctor to coordinate care between the office and with affiliated specialists.  Research has demonstrated that electronic health records improve the quality of health care, reduce medical errors, save time, and make practices more efficient.  They’re also seen as a tool to contain or reduce health care costs, which may help keep our insurance premiums from growing.  The vision is that electronic health records will help to promote a high quality, efficient, and seamless health care delivery system. 

ARRA incentives to promote adoption of electronic health records were made available to physicians, hospitals, chiropractors, dentists, optometrists and other specialists. But, unfortunately, these incentives and grants were not made available to most behavioral health providers – including mental health and addiction treatment facilities, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, and psychiatric hospitals.  This is a missed opportunity at the practice level to promote coordinated care and to realize improved health outcomes for patients.   Electronic health records are as important in behavioral health care as they are in primary care.  Without financial incentives most of NH’s behavioral health providers will be unable to support the “start up costs” associated with implementation of electronic health record systems.     

Congress is currently considering legislation that would broaden the definition of “health care provider” making most behavioral health providers eligible for the incentives made possible through ARRA to promote implementation of electronic health record systems.  This is an important improvement that will greatly benefit NH, helping us to create a more holistic, patient-centered health services delivery system of the future.  You can find more information on this legislation at Mental Health America: https://secure2.convio.net/nmha/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=611

Comments

[sildenafil citrate]

Thank you for sharing information. It quite useful for us also. I always love to read such type of things.

[Electronic Medical Records]

The time will definitely come when behavioral health is seen as completely parallel in importance to other sectors of the healthcare industry. It's good to see these steps forward being made.

Best,
Carly

[Shea Steinberg]

This is definitely a successful improvement in the health-care sector and for the behavioral health arena, in general. It provides an incentive for doctors who are so often discriminated for their type of medicine. There is no reason why a surgeon should get any more money than a psychiatrist.

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