PointClickCare and MassHealth launched a new platform for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for addressing behavioural health crisis.
The Behavioral Health Treatment and Referral Platform will address behavioural health boarding challenges, where patients often experience extended wait periods in emergency departments or on medical-surgical floors until a suitable inpatient psychiatric bed becomes available.
It streamlines the referral processes and provides real-time insights into provider capacity to support the Commonwealth's Expedited Psychiatric Inpatient Admission (EPIA) protocol.
Additionally, the platform will standardise admissions information and offers a transparent view of patients waiting for inpatient psychiatric placement.
It will be used by psychiatric hospitals, acute care hospitals, health plans, state agencies and accountable care organisations.
MassHealth assistant secretary Mike Levine said: “The Behavioral Health Treatment and Referral Platform is a major step in the right direction in helping to reduce continuum of care challenges and ensuring financial stability of healthcare organisations, ultimately supporting patients and making it easier for them to receive the care they need in a timely manner.”
Despite a 59% decrease in the number of patients boarding for more than 48 to 60 hours in acute care hospitals while awaiting placement at an inpatient psychiatric facility since 2022, delays continue to be a concern, according to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services data.
PointClickCare chief medical officer Hamad Husainy said: “PointClickCare is honoured to be partnering with MassHealth to support access to behavioral health treatment for individuals who need inpatient psychiatric level of care.
“With the Behavioral Health Treatment and Referral Platform, we’re helping care team members communicate and coordinate more effectively with one another, enabling patients to quickly and efficiently receive support and placement, leading to better health outcomes.”
PointClickCare, a healthcare technology platform, facilitates care collaboration and patient insights in real time.
