Compass Health Network

Leading Outpatient and Counseling Services

I had a professor in graduate school who used to tell me that “we learn more from our mistakes than our successes.”

Although I did not want to hear that feedback, I think it is quite true. Those mistakes have helped me to become a better leader through humility, and sometimes humor! I also received an opportunity to dissect the experience and determine what went right, what went wrong and what could be done differently.

I have also found that the staff are more encouraged by a leader who recognizes their own errors and seeks to correct them. That depiction of humanity can be more effective than getting it right the first time.

Balance Access to Care with High-Quality Clinical Outcomes

Scheduling is the hardest part of outpatient therapy, especially when there are not enough staff members to manage the needs of the community.

Our team provides evidence-based practices (EBPs), which, by nature, lead to better outcomes. If we follow those EBPs, patients will get better faster and have longer periods of wellness.

Our clients also tend to struggle with engagement, so the faster we can provide relief, the less likely it is that they will return to services in a short period of time, often with more intense symptoms. Since we sometimes only see a client once or twice before we lose the engagement with them, “striking while the iron is hot” can be a most effective strategy.

Challenges in Delivering Effective Outpatient Services

Without hesitation, I would argue that documentation standards are the biggest struggle behavioral health organizations have. With multiple regulations, guidelines and accreditations, driven by state, federal and local governing bodies and different stakeholders, the amount of paperwork we do is forever growing.

Our staff often express frustration that they spend the first 8-10 minutes updating documentation, the last 8-10 minutes writing their notes, and are only able to provide 30-35 minutes of therapy during that time. It is also frustrating to the patient. They come to get help, not to answer the same question over and over.

While we recognize the importance of this data collection and documentation, the most difficult part is that these entities do not have the same metrics. And if they do, they require different ways of reporting, which doubles the work for the providers.

Improving Patient Outcomes in Mental Health Services

Integrating mental health services has long been shown to improve outcomes and satisfaction for patients and providers. Primary care providers (PCPs) are limited in training and time. Having a behavioral health specialist can improve patient outcomes and patient/provider satisfaction by applying their knowledge to the situation, allowing the PCP more time to see patients.

Even in models where the PCP and behavioral health provider are not in the same location, there are improved outcomes. Much like regular maintenance on your vehicle, changing the oil is not enough. You also need to change the tires and replace the windshield wipers every now and then.

Evolving Standards of Outpatient Behavioral Health

One of the ways we are improving is through having a better understanding of social determinants of health (SDOH). These are things that may impact a person’s healthcare but may not be readily understood or seen as a problem.

For example, if someone has trouble with access to food or experiences housing instability, those issues are going to take more energy from the patient, which decreases their engagement in healthcare. By understanding SDOH, providers can better assess for and intervene with resources to assist patients to focus on all aspects of their lives.