Still Missing The Basics

Research suggests that follow-up care for consumers with mental illness is associated with fewer repeat emergency room (ER) visits, improved physical and mental function, and increased compliance with post-ER instructions such as medication adherence (see Follow-Up After Emergency Department Visit for Mental Illness). However, one basic performance problem—and source of continuing high health care and corrections system costs—is that follow-up after a behavioral health episode is not occurring. Data from 2019 shows that a median of 32% of adult Medicaid beneficiaries received follow-up care within 7 days of discharge—those statistics are 55 . . .