Days To Appointment Increased Likelihood Of Consumers Attending Follow-Up Behavioral Health Appointments

Shorter wait times for an initial behavioral health appointment following a referral from primary care were associated with higher attendance rates by adult primary care consumers. Whether or not the consumer had a “warm handoff” from the primary care professional to the behavioral health professional had no significant impact on attendance rates for the behavioral health appointment. In a “warm handoff” the primary care professional introduces the consumer to the behavioral health professional who then meets with the consumer and schedules an intake behavioral health appointment.

In a retrospective analysis of an integrated primary care and behavioral health program launched . . .