Pace CA, Gergen-Barnett K, Veidis A, D'Afflitti J, Worcester J, Fernandez P, Lasser KE. Warm Handoffs and Attendance at Initial Integrated Behavioral Health Appointments.
Ann Fam Med 2018;
16:346-348. [PMID:
29987084 PMCID:
PMC6037516 DOI:
10.1370/afm.2263]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2017] [Revised: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Though integrated behavioral health programs often encourage primary care physicians to refer patients by means of a personal introduction (warm handoff), data are limited regarding the benefits of warm handoffs. We conducted a retrospective study of adult primary care patients referred to behavioral health clinicians in an urban, safety-net hospital to investigate the association between warm handoffs and attendance rates at subsequent initial behavioral health appointments. In multivariable analyses, patients referred via warm handoffs were not more likely to attend initial appointments (OR = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.79-1.18; P = .71). A prospective study is necessary to confirm the role of warm handoffs.
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