HITEQ Health Center Behavioral Health Integrator Badge
Health centers are increasing the integration of behavioral health in primary care, spurred by an increased focus on whole person care and additional funding. Effective use of health IT in conjunction with patient privacy and confidentiality is imperative to support behavioral health.

According to the Office of the National Coordinator, "Health information technology can help to improve behavioral health care and can further enable care coordination and integration, increase information sharing, and support prevention, treatment, and recovery activities. Access to and the exchange and use of behavioral health information as part of routine care can help to improve continuity in care services and support efforts toward achieving an interoperable health care system across the continuum."

Take some time to read through some of the articles on this page and then fill out the submission form on the right and you will be rewarded with a Health Center Incredible Behavioral Health Integrator badge! This is an official badge that is submitted by the HITEQ Center as a proof of completion to the blockchain. Your credentials can be added to profiles such as LinkedIn and verified through accreditation services such as Accredible and Open Badge.

https://hiteqcenter.org/Services/Badges-Self-paced-Learning/Behavioral-Health-Integrator

 

Safer at Home: Using Remote Patient Monitoring for Patient Care
HITEQ Center

Safer at Home: Using Remote Patient Monitoring for Patient Care

Published in January 2021

Download the full PDF resource, complete with recommended resources, in the Documents to Download Section below!

Summary: While remote patient monitoring may not be separately reimbursable for federally qualified health centers, there are other benefits including keeping patients with chronic conditions safer at home during the pandemic and monitoring patients with chronic conditions to detect changes early and intervene. This early detection and intervention supports high value care and improved health outcomes.

For those launching or expanding a remote patient monitoring program, there are three keys:

  • Planning: Create a team, develop a project management plan, identify your patient population, and then select your vendor or tool using key selection criteria.
  • Implementation: Some health centers have begun implementing self-monitored blood pressure programs, but despite promising results and relevant for clinical quality measures, they remain underutilized. Successful implementation of RPM offers the opportunity for patients to be more engaged in their care, as well as for both patients and care team to have access to near real time feedback on how the patient is doing. Training for health center staff training and support for implementation. Health center staff must both know how to configure RPM to provide meaningful information and how to support patients when they may encounter challenges. The many successes of other organizations provide helpful insights.
  • Financial sustainability: While RPM is often not separately reimbursable for health centers beyond their prospective payment system or perhaps chronic care management reimbursement, it is important to monitor changes at the state and local level as RPM adoption increases and payers further realize its value. Other funding, such as telehealth grants or incentives from value-based care contracts can help offset the cost. Demonstrating the value of RPM for your patients can help secure additional funding in the future. 
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Documents to download

Focus: PHI

Focus: PHI

Patient privacy and confidentiality form a crucial component of the patient-doctor treatment relationship, particularly when seeking treatment for mental health or substance use disorders. Multiple federal privacy laws, in addition to state laws, provide privacy protections for mental health and substance use disorder treatment records, while permitting communication of these records to other healthcare providers, patients’ families, and others.

Behavioral Health Integration Compendium

Behavioral Health Integration Compendium

Many health centers collaborate with external behavioral health providers or provide co-located or integrated behavioral health services within their health center. Some of the most significant challenges are determining which data to share, how to store it within the Electronic Health Record, and how to use it within primary care. This compendium of literature and resources offers some guidance related to behavioral health data integration, complete with key health center considerations for each.

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