Economic Evaluation of the Emergency Department After Implementation of an Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing Unit

• Published in: Academic emergency medicine 2021-01, Vol.28 (1), p.82-91
• Main Authors: Stamy, Chris, Shane, Dan M., Kannedy, Levi, Van Heukelom, Paul, Mohr, Nicholas M., Tate, Jodi, Montross, Kelsey, Lee, Sangil, Kuehl, Damon R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Emergencies; Emergency medical care; Emergency Service, Hospital - economics; Health economics; Humans; Intervention; Length of Stay; Mental disorders; Mental health care; Retrospective Studies; Revenue
• ISSN: 1069-6563; 1553-2712
• DOI: 10.1111/acem.14118

Objectives We sought to evaluate the impact of an emergency psychiatric assessment, treatment, and healing (EmPATH) unit on emergency department (ED) revenue, psychiatric boarding time, and length of stay (LOS). Methods We conducted a before‐and‐after economic evaluation of a single academic midwestern ED (60,000 annual visits) for all adult (≥18 years) patients before (December 2017–May 2018) and after (December 2018–May 2019) opening an EmPATH unit. These are outpatient hospital‐based programs that provide emergent treatment and stabilization for mental health emergencies from ED patients. The Holt–Winters method was used to forecast pre‐EmPATH expected ED levels of patients leaving without being seen, leaving against medical advice, eloping, or being transferred using 3 years of ED visits. ED revenues were calculated by finding the difference of pre‐EmPATH expected and post‐EmPATH observed values and multiplying by the revenue per visit. ED boarding time and LOS were obtained from the hospital’s electronic medical record. Results There were 23,231 and 23,336 ED visits evaluated during the pre– and post–EmPATH unit periods. The ED generated an estimated additional $404,954 in the 6 months and $861,065 annually after the implementation of the EmPATH unit. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) psychiatric boarding time decreased from 212 (119–536) minutes to 152 (86–307) minutes (mean difference = 189 minutes, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 150 to 228 minutes) and median (IQR) LOS decreased from 351 (204–631) minutes to 334 (212–517) minutes (mean difference = 114 minutes, 95% CI = 87 to 143 minutes). Conclusion The EmPATH unit had a positive impact on ED revenue and decreased ED boarding time and LOS for psychiatric patients.