FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
How Behavioral Healthcare Treatment Is Delivered Is Changing, NAPHS Annual Survey Finds ~ Diversification of Services, Short Inpatient and Outpatient Stays Help Behavioral Healthcare Providers Respond to Demands for Cost-Containment, Improved Access
(Washington, D.C., June 21, 1999).....The behavioral health delivery system for people suffering from mental and addictive disorders continued to evolve at a rapid pace in 1997, according to data released today by the National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems (NAPHS) in The NAPHS 1998 Annual Survey Report -- Trends in Psychiatric Health Systems: A Benchmarking Report.
"There continues to be a fundamental shift in the way behavioral health care is delivered in the United States," said NAPHS Executive Director Mark Covall. "In an era of cost-containment and a decline in dollars available for care, behavioral health providers have focused attention on developing treatment approaches that respond to payersà increasing demands for shorter stays, lower costs, and expanded access to care. Changes in the mix and intensity of services are all part of this response."
Specialty psychiatric hospitals have diversified their services to include a range of behavioral health treatment settings. In addition to inpatient care, the vast majority of survey respondents provided partial hospital (91%) and outpatient services (82.4%), and more than half provided residential treatment (54.8%).
Within the hospital setting, lengths of stay remain very brief. Average inpatient length of stay in 1997 declined 11.3% from the previous year to 10.2 days for all age groups.
While lengths of stay have declined, NAPHS members continue to treat significant numbers of patients. A typical hospital in 1997 saw an average of 1,745 inpatients, an increase of 15.6% over 1996.
Similarly, ambulatory services are seeing more patients. The average number of regular and intensive outpatient admissions seen by a typical facility grew 68.9%, from an average of 1,231 admissions in 1996 to 2,080 admissions in 1997. A typical outpatient in 1997 averaged 7.97 regular outpatient visits, down from 8.7 visits in 1996. At the same time, intensive outpatient visits for a typical patient increased to 21 days on average in 1997 vs. 17.1 days in 1996 ñ an indication of the severity of patients now being managed in outpatient settings.
Similarly, average partial hospital admissions increased 17.7% (from an average of 428 in 1996 to 504 in 1997). A typical partial hospitalization patient averaged the same 13.2 visits in 1997 as in 1996.
Managed care is paying for a growing percentage of care. In 1997, health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, and at-risk contracts accounted for 29.2% of inpatient admissions ñ an 18.2% increase over 1996.
NAPHS members are providing significant care for the Medicaid and Medicare populations. Together, these government programs accounted for 40.7% of inpatient admissions in 1997.
The Annual Survey Report is $400 prepaid from NAPHS, 1317 F Street, NW, #301, Washington, DC 20004-1105.
#####
RSS