What You Should Know:
– The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) announced they are joining forces to invest over $20 million in a groundbreaking initiative to improve health information technology (IT) adoption and capabilities in behavioral healthcare settings.
– The strategic collaborative effort, aligned with the HHS Roadmap for Behavioral Health Integration and the President’s call to action on mental health and substance abuse, aims to bridge the existing gap between behavioral health and physical healthcare IT systems.
The Problem: Lagging Adoption and Limited Functionality
Currently, behavioral health providers lag behind their counterparts in other healthcare specialties when it comes to health IT adoption. This is partly due to their exclusion from incentive programs like those offered by Medicare and Medicaid. As a result, only 67% of psychiatric hospitals have adopted certified electronic health records (EHRs), compared to 86% of general acute care hospitals. This lack of technology adoption translates to limited functionalities, hindering crucial aspects of care delivery:
- Access to treatment: Inefficient data exchange and reporting pose barriers to telehealth implementation, restricting access to needed treatment for many patients.
- Care continuity: Disjointed information systems hinder smooth communication between behavioral health providers and other healthcare professionals, jeopardizing patient care continuity.
- Data-driven insights: Lack of standardized data collection and analysis capabilities limit the ability to measure treatment effectiveness and improve care delivery.
The Behavioral Health Information Technology (BHIT) Initiative
This innovative initiative addresses these challenges head-on through several key strategies:
- USCDI+ for Behavioral Health: This project will establish a new standardized set of data elements specific to behavioral health, facilitating seamless data exchange and interoperability across different healthcare settings.
- Technical Assistance: ONC will provide technical support to participating providers, enabling them to effectively implement and utilize health IT systems.
- Behavioral Health Information Resource: A dedicated online resource will offer comprehensive information and guidance on using USCDI+ and other relevant tools for behavioral health professionals.
The initiative is currently in its initial stages, with data element identification and collaboration with stakeholders underway.