CALM Interventions: Behavioral Health Crisis Assessment, Linkage, and Management Improve Patient Care. (January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lester, Natalie A.; Thompson, Laura R.; Herget, Kendal; Stephens, Julie A.; Campo, John V.; Adkins, Eric J.; Terndrup, Thomas E.; Moffatt-Bruce, Susan
• Is Part Of: American journal of medical quality. Volume 33:Number 1(2018)
• Page Start: 65
• Page End: 71
• Publication Date: 2018-01
• Subjects: emergency department -- psychiatric care -- ED operational efficiency -- models of emergency psychiatric care; Medical care -- Quality control -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Evaluation -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Utilization review -- Periodicals; Medical care -- United States -- Periodicals; 362.1
• DOI: 10.1177/1062860617696154
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1062-8606

Abstract

Emergency departments (EDs) have seen rising numbers of patients in psychiatric crises, patient boarding, and throughput delays. This study describes and evaluates the impact of a Crisis Assessment Linkage and Management (CALM) service designed to manage behavioral health crises. A year-to-year comparison was performed before (n = 2211 ED visits) and after implementation of CALM (n = 2387). CALM was associated with reductions in median ED and hospital length of stay (LOS) from 9.5 to 7.3 hours and 46.2 to 31.4 hours, respectively. Mean transformed ED LOS decreased by 32.4% ( P < .001). The CALM model improved patient care and throughput metrics by proactively managing behavioral health crises.