Survey of California Emergency Departments About Practices for Management of Suicidal Patients and Resources Available for Their Care

Pearls for Caring for the Boarding Psychiatric Patient in the Emergency Department

BACKGROUND

Emergency department (ED) boarding of psychiatric patients is a national issue that continues to worsen at a disturbing rate. Implementing strategies in the ED to provide continuous care for patients can help secure patient safety.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review is to discuss the boarding of psychiatric patients and its implications. It will focus on executing best clinical practices in managing boarding psychiatric patients in the ED. It will not focus on the treatment of substance use disorders.

DISCUSSION

This article will address the pearls for management plans that can be implemented in the ED, alongside discussing pregnant and elderly patients. Risk factors, complications, and treatments for boarding psychiatric patients are discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with psychiatric disorders boarding in the ED need careful consideration of management plans to mitigate patient safety events.

Behavioural mental health interventions delivered in the emergency department for suicide, overdose and psychosis: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

To identify and describe evidence on brief emergency department (ED)-delivered behavioural and care process interventions among patients presenting with suicide attempt or acute ideation, substance overdose or psychosis.

DESIGN

We employed a scoping review design and searched multiple data sources, clinical trial registries and references lists through March 2023. We included English-language trials and rigorously designed observational studies. In alignment with scoping review guidelines, we did not assess the quality of included studies or rate the strength of evidence of intervention effectiveness.

POPULATION

Our population of interest was adults presenting to the ED with suicidality (eg, attempt or acute ideation), any substance overdose or acute psychosis from a primary mental health condition.

INTERVENTION

We included studies of brief behavioural or care process interventions delivered in the ED.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Health outcomes (eg, symptom reduction), healthcare utilisation and harms.

RESULTS

Our search identified 2034 potentially relevant articles. We included 40 studies: 3 systematic reviews and 39 primary studies. Most studies (n=34) examined ED interventions in patients with suicide attempt or suicidal ideation, while eight studies examined interventions in patients with opioid overdose. No studies examined ED interventions in patients with acute psychosis. Most suicide prevention studies reported that brief psychological, psychosocial or screening and triage interventions reduce suicide and suicide attempt following an ED visit. Most clinical trial interventions were multicomponent and included at least one follow-up. All substance overdose studies focused on opioids. These studies often contained medication and referral or consultation components. Multiple studies reported increases in substance use disorder treatment utilisation; evidence on repeat overdose events was limited.

CONCLUSIONS

A wide range of multicomponent ED-delivered behavioural health interventions for suicidality and opioid use disorder show short-term improvement on primary outcomes such as suicide reattempt. Few studies on non-opioid substances and psychosis are available.

Qualitative study on the use of emergency services by people with serious mental disorder in Spain

BACKGROUND

The population with severe mental disorders (SMD) is a frequent user of emergency services. Situations of psychiatric decompensation can have devastating consequence and can cause problems in getting urgent medical care. The objective was to study the experiences and needs of these patients and their caregivers regarding the demand for emergency care in Spain.

METHODS

Qualitative methodology involving patients with SMD and their informal caregivers. Purposive sampling by key informants in urban and rural areas. Paired interviews were carried out until data saturation. A discourse analysis was conducted, obtaining a codification in categories by means of triangulation.

RESULTS

Forty-two participants in twenty-one paired interviews (19 ± 7.2 min as mean duration). Three categories were identified. 1º Reasons for urgent care: poor self-care and lack of social support, as well as difficulties in accessibility and continuity of care in other healthcare settings. 2º Urgent care provision: trust in the healthcare professional and the information patients receive from the healthcare system is crucial, telephone assistance can be a very useful resource. 3º Satisfaction with the urgent care received: they request priority care without delays and in areas separated from the other patients, as well as the genuine interest of the professional who attends them.

CONCLUSIONS

The request for urgent care in patients with SMD depends on different psychosocial determinants and not only on the severity of the symptoms. There is a demand for care that is differentiated from the other patients in the emergency department. The increase in social networks and alternative systems of care would avoid overuse of the emergency departments.

Long-Term Trends in Psychiatric Emergency Services Delivered by the Boston Emergency Services Team

Rising psychiatric emergency department (ED) presentations pose significant financial and administrative burdens to hospitals. Alternative psychiatric emergency services programs have the potential to alleviate this strain by diverting non-emergent mental health issues from EDs. This study explores one such program, the Boston Emergency Services Team (BEST), a multi-channel psychiatric emergency services provider intended for the publicly insured and uninsured population. BEST provides evaluation and treatment for psychiatric crises through specialized psychiatric EDs, a 24/7 hotline, psychiatric urgent care centers, and mobile crisis units. This retrospective review examines the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of 225,198 BEST encounters (2005-2016). Of note, the proportion of encounters taking place in ED settings decreased significantly from 70 to 58% across the study period. Findings suggest that multi-focal, psychiatric emergency programs like BEST have the potential to reduce the burden of emergency mental health presentations and improve patient diversion to appropriate psychiatric care.

Reducing short term suicide risk after hospitalization: A randomized controlled trial of the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality

BACKGROUND

This study compared the "next day appointment" (NDA) use of the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) to treatment as usual (TAU) for individuals discharged from the hospital following a suicide-related crisis. We hypothesized that CAMS would significantly reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors as well as improve psychological distress, quality of life/overall functioning, treatment retention and patient satisfaction.

METHODS

Participants were 150 individuals who had at least one lifetime actual, aborted, or interrupted attempt and were admitted following a suicide-related crisis. There were 75 participants in the experimental condition who received adherent CAMS and 75 participants who received TAU. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors, psychological distress, and quality of life/overall functioning were assessed at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-baseline. Treatment retention and patient satisfaction were assessed at post-treatment.

RESULTS

Participants in both conditions improved from baseline to 12 months but CAMS was not superior to TAU for the primary outcomes. A small but significant improvement was found in probability of suicidal ideation at 3 months favoring TAU and amount of suicidal ideation at 12 months favoring CAMS. CAMS participants experienced less psychological distress at 12 months compared to baseline.

LIMITATIONS

The study was limited by only one research clinic, lower than expected recruitment, and imbalance of suicidal ideation at baseline.

CONCLUSIONS

All participants improved but CAMS was not more effective than TAU. The NDA clinic was feasible and acceptable to clients and staff in both conditions and future research should investigate its potential benefit.

Feasibility of Peer-Delivered Suicide Safety Planning in the Emergency Department: Results From a Pilot Trial

OBJECTIVE

The emergency department (ED) is an important site for suicide prevention efforts, and safety planning has been identified as a best practice for suicide prevention among ED patients at increased suicide risk. However, few ED clinicians are prepared to assess suicide risk or guide patients in the creation of safety plans. This study was a pilot randomized controlled trial of the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of safety planning by individuals with lived experience of suicide attempt or of severe suicidal ideation but without medical training (i.e., peers) in the ED.

METHODS

Patients at risk for suicide in a general ED were randomly assigned to receive peer-delivered or mental health provider–delivered safety planning. Intervention feasibility measures included ED length of stay, safety plan completeness, and safety plan quality. Acceptability measures included patient satisfaction. Preliminary effects were assessed as number of ED returns within the 3 months after the ED visit.

RESULTS

Data from 31 participants were available for analysis. Compared with participants with provider-delivered safety planning, participants with peer-delivered safety planning had similar ED lengths of stay, higher safety plan completeness, and higher safety plan quality. Acceptability of the safety planning process was similar for the two groups. Compared with participants receiving provider-delivered safety planning, participants receiving peer-delivered planning had significantly fewer ED visits during the subsequent 3 months than during the 3 months preceding the ED visit.

CONCLUSIONS

Peer-delivered safety planning is feasible and acceptable and may result in fewer return ED visits. These findings provide preliminary support for peer-delivered safety planning in the ED.

Structural magnetic resonance imaging findings in severe mental disorders adult inpatients: A systematic review

In severe presentations, major depressive disorder (MDD), schizophrenia (SZ), and bipolar disorder (BD) can be categorized as severe mental disorders (SMD). Our aim is to evaluate structural magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography findings in adult inpatients diagnosed with SMD and hospitalized at psychiatric wards. PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched up to May 27th, 2021. Articles were screened and extracted by two independent groups, with third-party raters for discrepancies. Quality of evidence was evaluated with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Synthesis was made by qualitative analysis. This study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020171718) and followed the PRISMA protocol. 35 studies were included, of which none was considered to likely introduce bias in our analyses. Overlapping areas in MDD, SZ, and Affective Psychosis (AP) patients, that include BD and MDD with psychotic features, are presented in the inferior temporal and cingulate gyri. MDD and SZ had commonly affected areas in the inferior and middle frontal gyri, transverse temporal gyrus, insula, and hippocampus. SZ and AP had commonly affected areas in the temporal pole. Overlapping affected areas among SMD patients are reported, but the heterogeneity of studies' designs and findings are still a limitation for clinically relevant guidelines.

Treatment of Patients Presenting With Suicidal Behavior in North American Pediatric Emergency Departments

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to identify current practices for the treatment of patients presenting with suicidal ideation or a recent suicide attempt in pediatric emergency departments (EDs) in North America.

METHODS

From October 10, 2018, to January 19, 2020, the authors conducted a cross-sectional online survey on current practices of pediatric emergency medicine chiefs practicing in the United States and Canada.

RESULTS

Forty-six (34%) of 136 chiefs of pediatric emergency medicine responded to the survey. The three most frequent improvements chiefs reported they would like to see in the care of young patients with suicidal ideation or suicide attempt were easier access to mental health personnel for evaluations, having mental health personnel take primary responsibility for patient evaluation and treatment, and better access to mental health personnel for dispositional planning.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings highlight the need for better mental health care in pediatric EDs to serve patients at increased risk for suicide.

Formative evaluation of Zero Suicide in the emergency department: Identifying strategies to overcome implementation barriers

BACKGROUND

Zero Suicide has been widely promoted as a comprehensive suicide prevention approach in healthcare systems, yet less is known about the barriers to implementing this approach in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVES

This developmental evaluation aimed to assess emergency department providers' perceived knowledge and self-efficacy regarding suicide prevention practices, as well as apply the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to explore potential facilitators and barriers to implementing Zero Suicide and identify strategies to overcome barriers.

METHODS

A sequential mixed methods approach was used, including a survey assessing emergency department providers' perceived knowledge and attitudes and semi-structured interviews exploring potential determinants of implementation.

RESULTS

Survey respondents (n = 43) perceived that they have the knowledge and self-efficacy to implement clinical elements of Zero Suicide; however, interview participants (n = 18) revealed that some clinical elements are not implemented consistently and perceive implementation barriers across multiple levels, including limited training on suicide risk assessment and limited resources needed to engage and re-engage at-risk patients in their suicide care management plan and provide follow-up supportive contacts during patients' transitions in care.

CONCLUSION

To overcome identified barriers in this setting, targeted implementation strategies are needed, including integration in electronic health record systems, leadership advocacy, and ongoing staff training.

Emergency mental health care for chi̇ldren and adolescents outside of regular working hours: 7 years outcomes from a tertiary hospital

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to define the clinical characteristics and management strategies of children and adolescents presenting with psychiatric crises to the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary health care facility outside of working hours, and to identify predictors of multiple ED visits among them.

METHODS

From January 2012 to December 2018, retrospective records of patients presenting with psychiatric symptoms to the ED and examined by a child psychiatrist after 5 p.m. on weekdays and for 24 h on weekends and public holidays were analyzed.

RESULTS

Our sample consisted of 1576 visits and 1364 patient (Female:Male=1.8:1, mean age=14.86 ± 2.72). The most common reason for visits was self-injurious thought or behaviors (SITB), and the most common diagnosis was depression. While depression was statistically more common in girls, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism and/or intellectual disability (ASD/ID), psychotic disorders, and bipolar disorder were more common in boys. The forensic evaluation was the most common reason for visits among children younger than 6 years old. Of visits, 23% transferred to hospitalization. A history of mental health contact was the lowest in depression (37.5%), psychosis (34.1%), and substance use disorders (33%). Of patients, 10.8% had multiple visits. A history of mental health contacts, conduct disorder, ASD/ID, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorder, and dissociative disorder were predictors of multiple visits to ED with psychiatric reasons.

CONCLUSION

Emergency mental health care outside of regular working hours can be a critical step in the diagnosis and treatment of serious psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents.

Characteristics Associated With Presence of Pediatric Mental Health Care Policies in Emergency Departments

OBJECTIVES

The majority of US children do not have access to an emergency department (ED) with a pediatric mental health care policy in place. Our objective was to understand factors associated with whether US EDs have a pediatric mental health care policy.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the National Pediatric Readiness Project, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of US EDs. Nurse managers reported whether their hospitals had a policy to care for children with social/mental health concerns (n = 3612). We calculated prevalence estimates, prevalence ratios (PRs), and confidence intervals (CIs) for regional and ED characteristics (eg, rurality and types of personnel) by whether EDs had a pediatric mental health care policy.

RESULTS

Overall, 46.2% (n = 1668/3612) of EDs had a pediatric mental health care policy. Emergency departments located in remote areas were 60% less likely to have such a policy compared with EDs in urban areas (PR, 0.4; CI, 0.3-0.5). Emergency department characteristics associated with having a pediatric mental health care policy included having a policy to transfer children with social/mental health concerns (PR, 5.4; CI, 4.7-6.2), having a policy to address maltreatment (PR, 3.4; CI, 2.6-4.4), and having nurse and physician pediatric emergency care coordinators (PR, 1.6; CI, 1.5-1.8).

CONCLUSIONS

Lower prevalence of pediatric mental health policies in rural EDs is concerning considering EDs are often the first point of contact for pediatric patients. This work highlights the importance of pediatric emergency care coordinators in fostering ED capacity to meet children's mental health needs.

Achieving Access Parity for Inpatient Psychiatric Care Requires Repealing the Medicaid Institutions for Mental Disease Exclusion Rule

Approximately 3.4% of Americans have a mental health condition and suicide is the 10th leading cause of death. While the rate of mental health conditions has slightly increased for adult populations, America's youth has experienced a significant rise in depression. From 2008 to 2017, occurrence of depression in the adolescent population increased from 8.3% to 13.3%. As adolescents mature into adults; it is likely the rate of mental health conditions for the adult population will rise as well as it is the common thread that binds the diseases of despair: drug abuse, alcoholism, and suicide. Arising out of the deinstitutionalization movement of the 1960s, the Medicaid Institutions for Mental Disease (IMD) Exclusion Rule (§1905(a)(B) of the Social Security Act) prohibits reimbursement for Medicaid recipients ages 21 to 64 years receiving inpatient care at a psychiatric hospital with 16 or more beds. Consequently, the rule limits payment for psychiatric treatment to general hospitals and smaller, nonspecialized centers, which blocks patients from receiving inpatient care and transfers the financial burden of care onto psychiatric hospitals. The IMD Rule is approaching its 55th anniversary. It requires reevaluation. Although a state waiver process is available, use of this option has the potential to increase the incidence of racial and ethnic disparities across states. Full repeal of the IMD Exclusion Rule could help provide immediate access to inpatient care that is consistent nationwide and be a vital step toward creating financial, treatment and ethical parity for mental health services.

Young children with psychiatric complaints in the pediatric emergency department

INTRODUCTION

Children are increasingly diagnosed with mental illnesses and self-harm behaviors. They present frequently to the emergency department (ED) for evaluation. The aim of this study is to describe the youngest children in the ED with psychiatric issues.

METHODS

This is a retrospective chart review of all consecutive children less than 10 years of age with a psychiatric complaint who received a psychiatric consultation in the pediatric emergency department in the last four years.

RESULTS

The number of children with psychiatric issues increased over the study period. The ED length of stay also increased. Violent behavior and aggression were the most common chief complaints, and some children required chemical or physical restraint in the ED. Many children had pre-existing psychiatric issues and a history of adverse childhood experiences. Half of patients were deemed safe for discharge home by psychiatric consultation.

CONCLUSION

The number of young children with psychiatric complaints presenting to the ED has increased. However, a large number are found to be stable for discharge home. Increase in urgent outpatient psychiatric resources could help decrease ED utilization.

Lethal Means Assessment and Counseling in the Emergency Department: Differences by Provider Type and Personal Home Firearms

OBJECTIVE

This study examined emergency department (ED) and behavioral health (BH) provider attitudes and behaviors related to lethal means screening and counseling of patients with suicide risk, specifically examining differences by provider type and whether providers had firearms in their own home.

METHODS

Emergency department providers (physicians and mid-level practitioners) and behavioral health (BH) providers at four Colorado EDs completed an anonymous, web-based survey.

RESULTS

Fewer ED providers (35%) than BH providers (81%) felt confident in their ability to counsel patients about lethal means (p < .001). In multivariable analysis, the only clinical or provider factor associated with often or almost always asking patients about firearm access was provider type, with BH providers more likely than ED providers to ask in all scenarios (OR: 5.58, 95% CI 1.68-18.6). Behaviors and attitudes about lethal means counseling did not vary by whether the provider had firearms at home. Almost all providers said that additional training and protocols about how to help patients make firearm storage decisions would be helpful.

CONCLUSIONS

Gaps in ED-delivered lethal means counseling persist, highlighting directions for future provider education and protocol development.

A poststructural analysis: Current practices for suicide prevention by nurses in the emergency department and areas of improvement

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To use a poststructuralist framework to critique historical, social and institutional constructions of emergency nursing and examine conflicting discourses surrounding suicide prevention. The aim is to also demonstrate practical guidance for enhancing emergency nursing practice and research with regard to suicide prevention.

BACKGROUND

Emergency departments have been historically constructed as places for treating life-threatening physical crises, thereby constructing other "nonurgent" health needs as less of a priority. Physical needs take priority over psychological needs, such as suicide-related thoughts and behaviours, negatively impacting the quality of care that certain groups of patients receive.

DESIGN

A theoretical analysis of the published literature on the topic of emergency nursing and suicide prevention was conducted and analysed using a poststructuralist framework.

METHODS

Relevant literature on the topic of emergency nursing related to suicide prevention was analysed for a poststructuralist construct of power, language, subjectivity and discourse. Implications to practice and research were identified, as well as expanding emergency nursing using a poststructuralist framework. SQUIRE guidelines were used (see Supporting Information).

DISCUSSION

The emergency department is a critical point of intervention for patients with urgent and life-threatening needs. However, the biomedical model and historical, social, and institutional expectations that influence emergency nurses' beliefs and values do not effectively respond to the needs of suicidal patients. One step to address this issue is to deconstruct the current understanding of emergency nursing as a treatment for only life-threatening physical crises in order to become inclusive of psychological crises such as suicide-related thoughts and behaviours.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

How a poststructural framework can be used to expand emergency care is discussed. Examples include empowering nurses to challenge the "taken-for-granted" emergency nursing and recognizing the health needs that fall outside of the dominant discourse of emergency care.

Identifying risk factors for mortality among patients previously hospitalized for a suicide attempt

Age-adjusted suicide rates in the US have increased over the past two decades across all age groups. The ability to identify risk factors for suicidal behavior is critical to selected and indicated prevention efforts among those at elevated risk of suicide. We used widely available statewide hospitalization data to identify and test the joint predictive power of clinical risk factors associated with death by suicide for patients previously hospitalized for a suicide attempt (N = 19,057). Twenty-eight clinical factors from the prior suicide attempt were found to be significantly associated with the hazard of subsequent suicide mortality. These risk factors and their two-way interactions were used to build a joint predictive model via stepwise regression, in which the predicted individual survival probability was found to be a valid measure of risk for later suicide death. A high-risk group with a four-fold increase in suicide mortality risk was identified based on the out-of-sample predicted survival probabilities. This study demonstrates that the combination of state-level hospital discharge and mortality data can be used to identify suicide attempters who are at high risk of subsequent suicide death.

Management in primary care at the time of a suicide attempt and its impact on care post-suicide attempt: an observational study in the French GP sentinel surveillance system

Background

We aimed to describe primary care management at the time of a suicide attempt (SA) and after the SA.

Methods

An observational (cross-sectional) study was conducted among 166 sentinel GPs within France (a non-gatekeeping country) between 2013 and 2017 for all GP’s patients who attempted suicide. Measurements: frequency of patients 1) managed by the GP at the time of the SA, 2) addressed to an emergency department (ED), 3) without care at the time of the SA, and 4) managed by the GP after the SA and factors associated with GP management at the time of and after the SA.

Results

Three hundred twenty-one SAs were reported, of which N = 95 (29.6%) were managed by the GP at the time of the SA, N = (70.5%) were referred to an ED, and N = (27.4%) remained at home. Forty-eight (14.9%) patients did not receive any care at the time of the SA and 178 (55.4%) were managed directly by an ED. GPs were more likely to be involved in management of the patient at the time of the SA if they were younger (39.2% for patients < 34 years old; 22.9% for those 35 to 54 years old, and 30.3% for those more than 55 years old p = 0.02) or the SA involved a firearm or self-cutting (51.9%) versus those involving drugs (23.7%); p = 0.006). After the SA, GPs managed 174 patients (54.2%), more often (60%) when they provided care at home at the time of the SA, p = 0.04; 1.87 [1.07; 3.35]. No other factor was associated with management by GPs after the SA.

Conclusions

The study faced limitations: data were not available for patients managed solely by specialists during their SA and results may not be generalisable to countries with a stronger gatekeeping system. We concluded that GPs are involved in the management of patients at the time of a SA for a third of patients. EDs are the major provider of care at that time. Half patients consulted GPs after the SA and connections between GPs and ED upon discharge should be improved.

Examining the impact of emergency care settings on suicidal patients: A call to action

OBJECTIVE

The emergency department (ED) offers a critical and unique opportunity to assess and intervene on suicide risk. Despite its potential benefits, the ED setting presents several potential sources of stress. The present paper calls attention to how suicidal patients may be especially vulnerable to stressful ED experiences.

METHOD

This research synthesis cites the growing literature on ED-related stressors, as they have been shown to affect both psychiatric and nonpsychiatric patient populations.

RESULTS

We identified specific interpersonal, physical, and temporal features of the ED that have been shown to affect multiple patient populations, including suicidal individuals. Beyond this, there appears to be broad underutilization of therapeutic care in ED settings.

CONCLUSIONS

It is important to consider how the ED setting may be both helpful and harmful toward suicidal patients. We conclude with recommended domains of study and methodological considerations when pursuing these future directions. The proposed research agenda would help address this known high risk period around hospitalization and discharge, and ultimately optimize suicide prevention efforts.

National trends in mental health-related emergency department visits by children and adults, 2009-2015

OBJECTIVES

Examine trends in mental health-related emergency department (ED) visits, changes in disposition and length of stay (LOS), describe disposition by age and estimate proportion of ED treatment hours dedicated to mental health-related visits.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of ED encounters in the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Visit Survey with a mental health primary, secondary or tertiary discharge diagnosis from 2009 to 2015. We report survey-weighted estimates of the number and proportion of ED visits that were mental health-related and disposition by age and survey year. We estimate the proportion of ED treatment hours dedicated to mental health-related visits. We analyze trends in disposition and LOS for mental health and non-mental health-related visits using multivariate regression analysis.

RESULTS

Mental health-related ED visits increased by 56.4% for pediatric patients and 40.8% for adults, accounting for over 10% of ED visits by 15-64 year-olds and nearly 9% by 10-14 year-olds in 2015. Mental health-related visit disposition of admission or transfer declined from 29.8% to 20.4% (p < .001); predicted median ED LOS for admissions or transfers increased from 6.5 to 9.0 hours while median LOS for discharges was stable at 4.4 hours. During the study period, mental health-related visits accounted for 5.0% (95% CI 4.6-5.3) of all pediatric and 11.1% (95% CI 11.0-11.3) of adult ED treatment hours.

CONCLUSIONS

Mental health-related visits account for an increasing proportion of ED visits and a considerable proportion of treatment hours. A decreasing proportion of mental health-related visits resulted in inpatient disposition and ED LOS increased for admissions and transfers.

Integrating local health departments to reduce suicide-related emergency department visits among people with substance use disorders - Evidence from the state of Maryland

Individuals with a substance use disorder (SUD) are six times as likely than those without a SUD to attempt suicide, however just 18% of the SUD population has received treatment. One of the barriers to treatment is appropriate and timely mental health services. This resulted in a substantial increase in emergency department (ED) visits related to SUD and suicide. This study sought to determine if the number of suicide-related ED visits for patients with SUD is associated with the types of mental health activities provided by their local health department (LHD). Specifically, we examined whether patients with a SUD aged 18-64 experienced reductions in suicide-related ED visits when their LHD directly engaged in mental health activities, such as (1) primary prevention for mental illness or (2) mental health services. Using linked datasets for 2012 from the National Profile of Local Health Departments, U.S. Census data, Area Health Resource File, and Maryland's State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD), we employed multivariable logistic regressions and instrumental variable models to examine this association. After adjusting for the endogeneity of LHDs' activity measures and controlling for individual-, hospital-, LHD-, and county-level characteristics, results demonstrated patients with a SUD experienced a 6% and 5% reduction in suicide-related ED visits when their LHD directly provided primary prevention for mental illness and mental health services, respectively. The results are small but significant, with robust standard errors. This study suggests LHDs may be key players in preventing suicide-related ED visits among the SUD population.

Psychiatric Emergency Department Visits After Regional Expansion of Community Health Centers

OBJECTIVE

Regional primary health care system capacity may affect the demand for psychiatric visits to the emergency department (ED). In the United States, community health centers (CHCs), which serve low-income regions regardless of individuals' ability to pay, expanded primary care services by over 70% in the past decade. No research, however, evaluates whether this expansion affects overall psychiatric ED visits. This hypothesis is tested in 143 U.S. counties that expanded CHC services.

METHODS

For the years 2006 through 2011, 18.84 million psychiatric outpatient ED visits were aggregated by county-year for the 143 U.S. counties with a participating CHC. The rate of psychiatric ED cases in a county-year is the dependent variable. Two independent variables were examined: total patients seen at CHCs and total patients receiving mental health services at CHCs. Fixed-effects regression methods controlled for county effects, year effects, and other health care and sociodemographic factors.

RESULTS

Psychiatric ED visits fell below expected levels in county-years where the volume of overall CHC patients rose (coefficient=-0.059; standard error=0.027, p=0.03). Findings indicate no relation between the volume of mental health patients seen at CHCs and psychiatric ED visits.

CONCLUSIONS

An increase in general primary health care to an underserved population, in the form of CHCs, corresponds with a decline in psychiatric ED visits. This result coheres with a recent Medicaid expansion experiment in which increased access to general primary care reduced the prevalence of undiagnosed and untreated depression. Findings, if replicated, may hold policy implications for regional health systems.

If You Could Change 1 Thing to Improve the Quality of Emergency Care for Deliberate Self-harm Patients, What Would It Be? A National Survey of Nursing Leadership

INTRODUCTION

Emergency departments increasingly treat patients for deliberate self-harm. This study sought to understand emergency department nursing leadership perspectives on how to improve the quality of emergency care for these patients.

METHODS

ED nursing managers and directors from a national sample of 476 hospitals responded to an open-ended question asking for the 1 thing they would change to improve the quality of care for self-harm patients who present in their emergency departments. We identified and coded key themes for improving the emergency management of these patients, then examined the distribution of these themes and differences by hospital characteristics, including urbanicity, patient volume, and teaching status.

RESULTS

Five themes regarding how to improve care for deliberate self-harm patients were identified: greater access to hospital mental health staff or treatment (26.4%); better access to community-based services and resources (26.4%); more inpatient psychiatric beds readily accessible (20.9%); separate safe spaces in the emergency department (18.6%); and dedicated staff coverage (7.8%). Endorsement of findings did not differ based on hospital characteristics.

DISCUSSION

ED nursing leadership strongly endorsed the need for greater access to both hospital- and community-based mental health treatment resources for deliberate self-harm patients. Additional ED staff and training, along with greater continuity among systems of care in the community, would further improve the quality of emergency care for these patients. Broad policies that address the scarcity of mental health services should also be considered to provide comprehensive care for this high-risk patient population.

KEY WORDS

Emergency department management of self-harm; Mental health care; Emergency nursing care.

Discontinuing involuntary mental health holds for children: Does psychiatrist specialty matter? A pilot study

BACKGROUND

Involuntary mental health detainments should only be utilized when less restrictive alternatives are unavailable and should be discontinued as soon as safety can be ensured. The study objective was to determine if child and adolescent psychiatrists discontinue a greater proportion of involuntary holds than general psychiatrists for similar pediatric patients.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of consecutive patients under 18 years placed on an involuntary hold in the prehospital setting presenting over a 1-year period to one high-volume emergency department (ED) where youth on involuntary holds are seen by child and adolescent psychiatrists when available and general psychiatrists otherwise. The primary outcome of interest was hold discontinuation after initial psychiatric consultation. The key predictor of interest was psychiatrist specialty (child and adolescent vs. general). We conducted multivariate logistic regression modeling adjusting for patient characteristics and time of arrival.

RESULTS

Child and adolescent psychiatrists discontinued 27.4% (51/186) of prehospital holds while general psychiatrists discontinued only 10.6% (22/207). After adjusting for observable confounders, holds were over 3 times as likely to be discontinued in patients evaluated by child and adolescent psychiatrists rather than general emergency psychiatrists (adjusted OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.7-5.9, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Child and adolescent psychiatrists are much more likely to discontinue prehospital involuntary mental health holds compared with general emergency psychiatrists. While inappropriate hold discontinuation places patients at risk of harm, prolonged hold continuation limits patients' rights and potentially increases psychiatric boarding in EDs. Earlier access to child and adolescent psychiatry may facilitate early hold discontinuation and standardize patient care.

Psychiatric Emergency Services - Can Duty-Hour Changes Help Residents and Patients?

Limitations on resident duty hours have been widely introduced with the intention of decreasing resident fatigue and improving patient outcomes. While there is evidence of improvement in resident well-being and education following such initiatives, they have inadvertently resulted in increased number of hand-offs between clinicians leading to potential errors in patient care. Current literature emphasizes need for more specialty/setting-specific scheduling, while considering residents' opinions when implementing duty-hour reforms. There are no reports examining the impact of duty-hour changes on residents or patients in psychiatric emergency service (PES) settings. Our purpose was to assess the impact of a recent scheduling change and decrease in overall duty hours, on resident well-being and sense of burnout, while also evaluating changes to patient wait-time and length of stay (LOS) in PES. Residents completed Maslach Burnout Inventory and anonymous surveys focusing on: fatigue, sleep, life outside work for shifts - regular (8 am-8 pm) and swing shifts (12 pm-10 pm). Data from the electronic medical records were collected for 6 months pre- and post-schedule change (January 2016-February 2017), for LOS and patient wait-time. Residents' preference for shifts was split. However, 86% reported getting enough sleep during swing shifts, while 83% reported lack of sleep during regular shifts. The average patient wait-time and LOS significantly decreased from 169 to 147 and 690 to 515 min, respectively. The change to swing shifts significantly impacts LOS and patient wait-time. The short shifts demonstrated an improvement in well-being for residents, but were not the singular factor for overall resident satisfaction.

The State of Emergency Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Raising the Bar

The current state of emergency child and adolescent psychiatry includes common historical challenges to safe and effective care as well as recent innovations in multiple settings that increase the quality of that care. These include (1) enhancements within pediatric emergency departments (EDs), (2) specialized and dedicated child psychiatry emergency programs that are hospital based, (3) telepsychiatry programs that spread access to child psychiatric evaluation and treatment planning, and (4) community-based mobile programs diverting youth from EDs. Together, these highlight the work in North America over the past 5 years to improve the care of youth in psychiatric crisis.

A retrospective analysis of boarding times for adolescents in psychiatric crisis

The boarding of children and adolescents with identified psychiatric conditions at medical facilities has numerous negative effects on the patients and the systems that treat them. Efforts to minimize boarding times serves to increase patients' access to appropriate levels of care, redirect medical resources to patients who need them most, and reduce safety risks to people and property. This study explores the role Clinical Social Workers can play in facilitation of care and highlights the advantages of a coordinated data collection process facilitated by the effective use of the Electronic Medical Record. A retrospective chart analysis of 100 patients admitted to the Emergency department at a pediatric hospital in Central Florida was conducted for patients seen between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2016. The data suggest key correlates that may impact the boarding times of pediatric patients presenting in a psychiatric crisis and the average duration of boarding time in hours (M = 5.11, SD = 2.07) was found to be significantly lower than prior published studies in the adult and pediatric literature. Discussion of these data implications on behavioral health practice is discussed.

Suicidal patients presenting to secondary and tertiary emergency departments and referral to a psychiatrist: a population-based descriptive study from Japan

BACKGROUND

In Japan, although many suicidal studies were previously conducted in tertiary emergency department (ED) settings, no published studies have reported on suicidal patients presenting to the secondary EDs. The aim of the study was to describe the characteristics of suicidal patients and the referral rates to a psychiatrist overall and by type of facility.

METHODS

Questionnaires were sent to all secondary and tertiary EDs in Tochigi prefecture, Japan. Data were collected for cases who presented in September 2009. Chi-square, Fisher's exact, and t-tests compared the results by gender and type of ED.

RESULTS

All 74 EDs responded to the survey. There were 81 patients who attempted or died by suicide (36 men and 45 women). The most common method of suicide attempt was drug overdose (57%) followed by stabbing (17%). About a half used prescription drugs to attempt or die by suicide. The majority had a history of psychiatric disorders, and 35% had previous suicide attempt. About a half were admitted to medical or surgical unit; 33% were discharged home; and 9% died. After excluding those who died, 53% were referred to a psychiatrist, but 47% were not referred to a psychiatrist. The referral rate was lower for cases seen at secondary EDs (38%) compared to tertiary EDs (67%).

CONCLUSION

Although professional organizations suggest that suicidal patients are seen by a psychiatrist, many were not, especially at secondary EDs. Further research is needed to assure that suicidal patients presenting to EDs receive appropriate psychiatric assessment and follow-up after discharge.

Recommended next care following hospital-treated self-harm: Patterns and trends over time

Objective

The specific objectives of this study were to examine variation in the care of self-harm patients in hospital settings and to identify the factors that predict recommended next care following self-harm.

Methods

Data on consecutive presentations to Irish emergency departments (EDs) involving self-harm from the National Self-Harm Registry Ireland from 2004 to 2012 were utilised. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between patients’ clinical and demographic characteristics, and recommended next care received.

Results

Across the study period a total 101,904 self-harm presentations were made to hospital EDs, involving 63,457 individuals. Over the course of the study there was a declining number of presentations resulting in patient admission following attendance with self-harm. Recommended next care varied according to hospital location, with general admission rates ranging from 11% to 61% across administrative health regions. Multinomial logistic regression identified that the factor which most strongly affected next care was the presenting hospital. Being male, older age, method, repeat self-harm, time of attendance and residence of the patient were all identified as influencing care received. Psychiatric admission was most common when highly lethal methods of self-harm were used (OR = 4.00, 95% CI, 3.63–4.41). A relatively large proportion of patients left the ED without being seen (15%) and the risk of doing so was highest for self-harm repeaters (1.64, 1.55–1.74 for those with 5+ presentations).

Conclusions

The extensive hospital variation in recommended next care indicates that management of self-harm patients may be determined more by where they present than by the needs of the patient. The study outcomes underline the need to standardise the clinical management of self-harm patients in general hospital settings.

Postacute Care after Pediatric Hospitalizations for a Primary Mental Health Condition

OBJECTIVES

To determine the proportion of US children hospitalized for a primary mental health condition who are discharged to postacute care (PAC); whether PAC discharge is associated with demographic, clinical, and hospital characteristics; and whether PAC use varies by state.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study of a nationally representative sample of US acute care hospitalizations for children ages 2-20 years with a primary mental health diagnosis, using the 2009 and 2012 Kids' Inpatient Databases. Discharge to PAC was used as a proxy for transfer to an inpatient mental health facility. We derived adjusted logistic regression models to assess the association of patient and hospital characteristics with discharge to PAC.

RESULTS

In 2012, 14.7% of hospitalized children (n = 248 359) had a primary mental health diagnosis. Among these, 72% (n = 178 214) had bipolar disorder, depression, or psychosis, of whom 4.9% (n = 8696) were discharged to PAC. The strongest predictors of PAC discharge were homicidal ideation (aOR, 24.9; 96% CI, 4.1-150.4), suicide and self-injury (aOR, 15.1; 95% CI, 11.7-19.4), and substance abuse-related medical illness (aOR, 5.0; 95% CI, 4.5-5.6). PAC use varied widely by state, ranging from 2.2% to 36.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of children hospitalized primarily for a mood disorder or psychosis were not discharged to PAC, and safety-related conditions were the primary drivers of the relatively few PAC discharges. There was substantial state-to-state variation. Target areas for quality improvement include improving access to PAC for children hospitalized for mood disorders or psychosis and equitable allocation of appropriate PAC resources across states.

Characteristics of patients presenting post-suicide attempt to an Academic Medical Center Emergency Department in Lebanon

BACKGROUND

Emergency Department (ED) visits for suicide attempts have been described worldwide; however, the populations studied were predominantly Western European, North American, or East Asian. This study aims to describe the epidemiology of ED patients presenting post-suicide attempt to an academic medical center in Lebanon and to report on factors that affect ED disposition.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted between 2009 and 2015. Patients of any age group were included if they had presented to the ED after a suicide attempt. Patients with unintentional self-harm were excluded. Descriptive analysis was performed on the demographics and characteristics of suicide attempts of the study population. A bivariate analysis to compare the two groups (hospitalized or discharged) was conducted using Student's t test and Pearson Chi-square where appropriate. A multivariate analysis was then conducted to determine the predictors of hospital admission.

RESULTS

One hundred and eight patients were included in the final analysis. Most patients were females (71.4%) and between 22 and 49 years of age. A considerable number of patients were unemployed (43%), unmarried (61.1%), and living with family (86.9%). Most suicide attempts were performed at home (93.5%) and on a weekday (71.3%). The most common mechanisms of injury were overdose with prescription medications (61.3%), overdose with over-the-counter drugs (27.9%), and self-inflicted lacerations (10.1%). The classes of medication most commonly abused were benzodiazepines (39.3%) followed by acetaminophen (27.3%). A large portion of our patients were admitted (70.3%), with the majority going to the psychiatric ward (71.1%). Of note, a quarter (27.5%) of our patients left the ED against medical advice, with 23.5% of admitted patients leaving the hospital before completion of treatment. The main predictors of admission were found to be overdose on prescription medications OR 9.25 (2.12-40.42 CI95%).

CONCLUSIONS

The characteristics of our suicide attempters mirror those of international and regional suicide attempters. Further work is required to quantify the effect of voluntary refusal of hospital treatment, the repercussions of family, and financial barriers to healthcare and suicide as a whole in our society.

The Emergency Department: Challenges and Opportunities for Suicide Prevention

Emergency departments (EDs) can offer life-saving suicide prevention care. This article focuses on the ED and emergency services as service delivery sites for suicide prevention. Characteristics of EDs, models of emergency care, ED screening and brief intervention models, and practice guidelines and parameters are reviewed. A care process model for youths at risk for suicide and self-harm is presented, with guidance for clinicians based on the scientific evidence. Strengthening emergency infrastructure and integrating effective suicide prevention strategies derived from scientific research are critical for advancing suicide prevention objectives.

Special Considerations in the Pediatric Psychiatric Population

Youth with psychiatric and behavioral complaints commonly present to emergency departments (EDs), which often lack dedicated mental health staff. This article addresses techniques EDs can use to better care for children in need of psychiatric assessment and medical clearance, specifically addressing the evaluation of youth with suicidal ideation and coexisting medical and psychiatric needs. The evaluation and management of youth with agitation and aggression are also discussed. The article concludes with a discussion of systems changes needed to truly improve emergency care for psychiatrically ill youth.

Systematic and organizational issues implicated in post-hospitalization suicides of medically hospitalized patients: A study of root-cause analysis reports

OBJECTIVE

Medical hospitalization is a high risk period for suicide. It is important to understand system-level factors that may be associated with suicide after a medical hospitalization.

METHOD

Retrospective study of root-cause analysis (RCA) reports of suicide occurring within three months of Veterans Administration (VA) medical hospitalization, 2002-2015. We collected patient and system-level factors to characterize events.

RESULTS

There were 96 RCA reports pertaining to suicide within three months of medical hospitalization. A total of 168 root causes for suicide were identified and fell into three major themes including: management of known suicide risk (N=73, 43%), decision making to monitor suicide risk (N=48, 29%), and patient engagement in treatment (N=47, 28%). RCA reports raised concerns that medical teams did not provide mental health treatment when indicated and lacked a standardized process for assessing psychological well-being in patients with a serious medical illness. In 25 cases, patients declined recommended treatment and in 15 cases, patients left against medical advice (AMA).

CONCLUSIONS

Challenges with patient engagement in treatment and lack of standardized processes for assessing and managing suicide risk may play an important role in suicide risk after medical hospitalization. Additional high quality studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Emergency Department Screening for Suicide and Mental Health Risk

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 10-24. An estimated 1.5 million US adolescents receive their primary health care in the emergency department (ED); this is particularly true for low-income and minority youths who often lack a regular source of care. ED visits can provide a window of opportunity to screen and identify youths with suicide and mental health risk, triage youths based on need, and facilitate effective follow-up care. Recently developed brief therapeutic assessment approaches have demonstrated success in improving rates of follow-up care after discharge from the ED. Furthermore, there is some data supporting clinical benefits when youths receive evidence-based outpatient follow-up care. ED screening combined with effective follow-up, therefore, may provide one strategy for improving mental health and reducing health disparities in our nation. This paper reviews the context in which ED screenings occur, available tools and strategies, and evidence for the effectiveness of tested approaches.

Demographic, clinical and psychological characteristics of patients with self-harm behaviours attending an emergency department of a tertiary care hospital

Understanding the characteristics of those with self-harm behaviour may help in identifying those at risk and providing targeted interventions to this group of patients, especially in the emergency services. The present study aimed to compare the suicidal intent, hopelessness, severity of depressive symptoms, and personality traits of those with and without psychiatric disorders, presenting with a self-harming behaviour to the emergency setting. For this, patients presenting to the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital with self-harm behaviour were evaluated for presence or absence of a psychiatric diagnosis, suicidal intent, personality traits, depressive symptoms and hopelessness by using structured instruments. The present study included 132 participants. The mean age of the sample was 28.7 years and the male: female ratio of 1.28:1. At least one psychiatric diagnosis was present in 41.7% of the sample, depression and substance use disorders being most common among them. Impulsive suicide attempt was present in 40.2% of the sample. Those with a psychiatric diagnosis were more likely to be older, males, married, have higher suicidal intent, more planned attempts and higher depressive symptoms as compared to those who did not have a psychiatric disorder. Impulsive suicide attempters had lower suicidal intent than non-impulsive attempters. Present study suggests that those presenting to the emergency with self-harm behaviour comprises 2 interrelated groups, differing on certain demographic features, severity of depressive symptoms, suicidal intent and impulsivity.

Use of a Dedicated, Non-Physician-led Mental Health Team to Reduce Pediatric Emergency Department Lengths of Stay

OBJECTIVES

Utilization of emergency departments (EDs) for pediatric mental health (MH) complaints is increasing. These patients require more resources and have higher admission rates than those with nonpsychiatric complaints.

METHODS

A multistage, multidisciplinary process to reduce length of stay (LOS) and improve the quality of care for patients with psychiatric complaints was performed at a tertiary care children's hospital's ED using Lean methodology. This process resulted in the implementation of a dedicated MH team, led by either a social worker or a psychiatric nurse, to evaluate patients, facilitate admissions, and arrange discharge planning. We conducted a retrospective, before-and-after study analyzing data 1 year before through 1 year after new process implementation (March 28, 2011). Our primary outcome was mean ED LOS.

RESULTS

After process implementation there was a statistically significant decrease in mean ED LOS (332 minutes vs. 244 minutes, p < 0.001). An x-bar chart of mean LOS shows special cause variation. Significant decreases were seen in median ED LOS (225 minutes vs. 204 minutes, p = 0.001), security physical interventions (2.0% vs. 0.4%, p = 0.004), and restraint use (1.7% vs. 0.1%, p < 0.001). No significant change was observed in admission rate, 72-hour return rate, or patient elopement/agitation events. Staff surveys showed improved perception of patient satisfaction, process efficacy, and patient safety.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of quality improvement methodology led to a redesign that was associated with a significant reduction in mean LOS of patients with psychiatric complaints and improved ED staff perception of care.

Clinical Features, Psychiatric Assessment, and Longitudinal Outcome of Suicide Attempters Admitted to a Tertiary Emergency Hospital

The objective of this study was to characterize admissions to an emergency hospital due to suicide attempts and verify outcomes in 2 years. Data were collected from medical records and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. The sample consisted of 412 patients (58.7% women; mean age = 32.6 years old, SD = 14.3). Self-poisoning was the most frequent method (84.0%), and they were diagnosed mainly as depressive (40.3%) and borderline personality disorders (19.1%). Previous suicide attempts and current psychiatric treatment were reported by, respectively, 32.0% and 28.4%. Fifteen patients (3.6%, 9 males) died during hospitalization. At discharge, 79.3% were referred to community-based psychiatric services. Being male (OR = 2.11; 95% CI = 1.25-3.55), using violent methods (i.e., hanging, firearms, and knives) (OR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.02-3.75) and psychiatric treatment history (OR = 2.58; 95% CI = 1.53-4.36) were predictors for psychiatric hospitalization. Of 258 patients followed for 2 years, 10 (3.9%) died (3 suicide), and 24 (9.3%) undertook new suicide attempts. Patients with a history of psychiatric treatment had higher risks of new suicide attempts (OR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.07-5.65). Suicide attempters admitted to emergency hospitals exhibit severe psychiatric disorders, and despite interventions, they continue to present high risks for suicide attempts and death.

Barriers and facilitators of suicide risk assessment in emergency departments: a qualitative study of provider perspectives

OBJECTIVE

To understand emergency department (ED) providers' perspectives regarding the barriers and facilitators of suicide risk assessment and to use these perspectives to inform recommendations for best practices in ED suicide risk assessment.

METHODS

Ninety-two ED providers from two hospital systems in a Midwestern state responded to open-ended questions via an online survey that assessed their perspectives on the barriers and facilitators to assess suicide risk as well as their preferred assessment methods. Responses were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis approach.

RESULTS

Qualitative analysis yielded six themes that impact suicide risk assessment. Time, privacy, collaboration and consultation with other professionals and integration of a standard screening protocol in routine care exemplified environmental and systemic themes. Patient engagement/participation in assessment and providers' approach to communicating with patients and other providers also impacted the effectiveness of suicide risk assessment efforts.

CONCLUSION

The findings inform feasible suicide risk assessment practices in EDs. Appropriately utilizing a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to assess suicide-related concerns appears to be a promising approach to ameliorate the burden placed on ED providers and facilitate optimal patient care. Recommendations for clinical care, education, quality improvement and research are offered.

Effects of a dedicated regional psychiatric emergency service on boarding of psychiatric patients in area emergency departments

Introduction

Mental health patients boarding for long hours, even days, in United States emergency departments (EDs) awaiting transfer for psychiatric services has become a considerable and widespread problem. Past studies have shown average boarding times ranging from 6.8 hours to 34 hours. Most proposed solutions to this issue have focused solely on increasing available inpatient psychiatric hospital beds, rather than considering alternative emergency care designs that could provide prompt access to treatment and might reduce the need for many hospitalizations. One suggested option has been the “regional dedicated emergency psychiatric facility,” which serves to evaluate and treat all mental health patients for a given area, and can accept direct transfers from other EDs. This study sought to assess the effects of a regional dedicated emergency psychiatric facility design known at the “Alameda Model” on boarding times and hospitalization rates for psychiatric patients in area EDs.

Methods

Over a 30-day period beginning in January 2013, 5 community hospitals in Alameda County, California, tracked all ED patients on involuntary mental health holds to determine boarding time, defined as the difference between when they were deemed stable for psychiatric disposition and the time they were discharged from the ED for transfer to the regional psychiatric emergency service. Patients were also followed to determine the percentage admitted to inpatient psychiatric units after evaluation and treatment in the psychiatric emergency service.

Results

In a total sample of 144 patients, the average boarding time was approximately 1 hour and 48 minutes. Only 24.8% were admitted for inpatient psychiatric hospitalization from the psychiatric emergency service.

Conclusion

The results of this study indicate that the Alameda Model of transferring patients from general hospital EDs to a regional psychiatric emergency service reduced the length of boarding times for patients awaiting psychiatric care by over 80% versus comparable state ED averages. Additionally, the psychiatric emergency service can provide assessment and treatment that may stabilize over 75% of the crisis mental health population at this level of care, thus dramatically alleviating the demand for inpatient psychiatric beds. The improved, timely access to care, along with the savings from reduced boarding times and hospitalization costs, may well justify the costs of a regional psychiatric emergency service in appropriate systems.

Down the Rabbit Hole: Emergency Department Medical Clearance of Patients with Psychiatric or Behavioral Emergencies

Patients presenting with behavior or psychiatric complaints may have an underlying medical disorder causing or worsening their symptoms. Misdiagnosing a medical illness as psychiatric can lead to increased morbidity and mortality. A thorough history and physical examination, including mental status, are important to identify these causes and guide further testing. Laboratory and ancillary testing should be guided by what is indicated based on clinical assessment. Certain patient populations and signs and symptoms have a higher association with organic causes of behavioral complaints. Many medical problems can present with or exacerbate psychiatric symptoms, and a thorough medical assessment is imperative.

Change in emergency department providers' beliefs and practices after use of new protocols for suicidal patients

OBJECTIVE

The study examined changes in self-reported attitudes and practices related to suicide risk assessment among providers at emergency departments (EDs) during a three-phase quasi-experimental trial involving implementation of ED protocols for suicidal patients.

METHODS

A total of 1,289 of 1,828 (71% response rate) eligible providers at eight EDs completed a voluntary, anonymous survey at baseline, after introduction of universal suicide screening, and after introduction of suicide prevention resources (nurses) and a secondary risk assessment tool (physicians).

RESULTS

Among participants, the median age was 40 years old, 64% were female, and there were no demographic differences across study phases; 68% were nurses, and 32% were attending physicians. Between phase 1 and phase 3, increasing proportions of nurses reported screening for suicide (36% and 95%, respectively, p<.001) and increasing proportions of physicians reported further assessment of suicide risk (63% and 80%, respectively, p<.01). Although increasing proportions of providers said universal screening would result in more psychiatric consultations, decreasing proportions said it would slow down clinical care. Increasing proportions of nurses reported often or almost always asking suicidal patients about firearm access (18%-69%, depending on the case), although these numbers remained low relative to ideal practice. Between 35% and 87% of physicians asked about firearms, depending on the case, and these percentages did not change significantly over the study phases.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings support the feasibility of implementing universal screening for suicide in EDs, assuming adequate resources, but providers should be educated to ask suicidal patients about firearm access.

Teen experiences following a suicide attempt

Teen suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15-24year olds. A clear understanding of what the experience of being suicidal means to adolescents living the phenomenon has not been clearly addressed in the literature. The aim of this research was to generate a comprehensive interpretation of the experiences of six adolescents who visited the ED following a suicide attempt, using hermeneutic phenomenological methodology. Participants ranged in age from 15 to 19years old, and all had been hospitalized for their attempt. Two patterns emerged: attempting as communicating and attempting as transforming. Underlying themes are described in detail. The findings have implications for nursing practice including how to assess and intervene with adolescent suicide attempters.

Characteristics and Needs of Psychiatric Patients With Prolonged Hospital Stay

OBJECTIVE

To describe the characteristics and needs prior to, on admission, during the first month in hospital, at the thirtieth day of hospitalization and posthospital discharge of psychiatric patients occupying acute beds.

METHODS

This prospective observational study was conducted in 2 tertiary care hospitals. Adult patients hospitalized on a psychiatric unit for 30 days were identified. Data was collected from their medical charts and interviews with their health care team. The categorization of acute and nonacute status at day 30 was based on the health care professional's evaluation. Descriptive and univariate analyses were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 262 patients were identified (mean age 45 years), 66% lived at home and 11% were homeless. More than one-half were cognitively impaired and a few had special medical needs. Ninety-seven per cent had been admitted from the emergency department. At day 30, 81% of patients required acute care, while 19% (95% CI 15% to 24%) occupied an acute care bed, despite the resolution of their acute condition. The main reason preventing discharge of nonacute patients was the difficulty or inability to find appropriate resources that met patients' needs. As for patients who required acute care, the most common psychiatric issues were delusions or hallucinations (34%), inability to take medications independently (23.6%), and inadequate control of aggression or impulsivity (16.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

Prevention of the discharge of nonacute patients is largely due to the difficulty in finding appropriate resources that meet patients' needs. Improved access to community and subacute care resources could potentially facilitate the hospital discharge of psychiatric nonacute patients.

Challenges of managing pediatric mental health crises in the emergency department

Children with mental health problems are increasingly being evaluated and treated in pediatric clinical settings. This article focuses on the epidemiology, evaluation, and management of the 2 most common pediatric mental health emergencies, suicidal and homicidal/aggressive patients, as well as the equally challenging population of children with autism or other developmental disabilities.

Self-reported Usual Care for Self-directed Violence During the 6 Months Before Emergency Department Admission

BACKGROUND

The literature describing the health services individuals receive before and following self-directed violence (SDV) is limited.

OBJECTIVES

This study examines services received for the 6 months preceding admission to an urban county medical center emergency department (ED) for SDV. We predicted that individuals with at least 1 prior act of SDV in the past 6 months would have received more services than those for whom the index admission was their only recent act.

METHODS

Participants were recruited from ED admissions during shifts selected to maximize representativeness. Participants (n=202) were interviewed using the Suicide Attempt Self-Injury Interview, Suicide Attempt Self-Injury Count, Treatment History Interview, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Brief Symptom Index, and SF-12.

RESULTS

The majority of index acts of SDV (79%) were suicide attempts. The participants were characterized by low socioeconomic status, substantial symptomatology, low physical and mental health functioning, and multiple psychiatric diagnoses. In the preceding 6 months, 34% were admitted to a hospital and 56% received crisis services (including 44% in the ED). Although three quarters (76%) had seen an outpatient medical provider and most (70%) received psychotropic medications, less than half of the sample received psychiatric services (40%) or outpatient psychosocial treatment (48%). As predicted, utilization for most types of usual care was higher for those engaging in SDV in the 6 months preceding the index admission.

CONCLUSION

Individuals admitted to this ED for SDV received inadequate outpatient psychosocial and psychiatric services despite severe illness and disability.

The dynamics of psychiatric bed use in general hospitals

This study examines general hospitals' adjustments in psychiatric bed utilization practices in response to increases in psychiatric inpatient admissions. Using panel data from 439 hospitals, monthly observations (N = 7,831) between 2007 and 2010 on psychiatric admissions, psychiatric bed occupancy rates, and average length-of-stay were created for psychiatric inpatients. In fixed-effects regressions, an increase in psychiatric admissions was associated with an increase in the probability of psychiatric bed use exceeding 100 % occupancy and with a reduction of mean length-of-stay. These results were confirmed in instrumental variables models. General hospitals may dynamically adjust bed utilization practices in response to changing psychiatric bed needs. An implication of this dynamic adjustment model is that bed shortages are likely to be local, transitory events.