Mental Health
Mental health is essential for emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Providers can enhance their practice efficiency and care quality with specialized automation software designed for mental health professionals.
Challenges in Mental Health Automation
Mental health providers face greater automation challenges than other medical specialties. Traditional technology platforms often fail to address the unique needs of mental health practices, leading to inefficiencies and frustration. This guide provides a blueprint for managing a successful mental health practice using a full suite of automation technologies designed exclusively for mental health workflows.
Specialized Automation for Specialized Care
The good news is that systems are now available specifically designed for the unique workflow, clinical care, coding, and client interaction aspects of mental healthcare practice. Here are the key points to consider:
- System components must be designed around mental health-specific needs.
- Systems must work together as a unified whole, allowing data communication and automation features to flow freely across the entire system.
Blueprint for Success
This blueprint outlines the key mental healthcare features that should be included in the four individual components of a practice automation system. It also explains how these components must work together as a unified whole to provide maximum benefit.
Front Office
This component manages non-clinical client interaction, scheduling, and communication. Key features include:
- Scheduling: Group session scheduling and the ability to book group appointments linked to multiple client appointments.
- Reminders: Automated personalized text, email, and phone messages in English or Spanish.
- Client Intake: Electronic completion and tracking of new client information.
- Client Portal: Secure and easily accessible for client communications.
Electronic Health Records (EHR)
A mental health-specific EHR should include:
- Charting Features: Templates compliant with APA severity disorder measures and DSM-5 personality inventory measures.
- Electronic Prescribing: HIPAA-compliant ePrescribing tools accessible via the web.
- Medication & Lab Results: Directly imported to the chart for at least one year of history.
- MACRA and MIPS Compliance: Integrated tracking for regulatory requirements.
Coding & Billing
Mental health professionals deal with a higher percentage of first-pass claims being rejected and reworked. A mental health-focused system should include:
- Tools for simple ICD-10 lookup with corresponding DSM-5 codes.
- Automatic software updates for code changes.
- Suggested E&M codes based on the documented client encounter.
Telehealth
Telehealth capabilities are essential for modern mental health practices. Key features include:
- Simple checkbox scheduling for telehealth appointments.
- Automated client reminders with login instructions.
- Notes of telehealth visits automatically added to the client’s chart.
- Ability to capture online credit card payments for sessions.
Cloud Access & Security
Comprehensive care requires access to information anytime, anywhere. Key features include:
- Access from any machine or location to complete practice information.
- Support for the latest security standards, including 2-factor authentication.
Unified System
A unified system integrates all data relevant to a practitioner’s tasks and responsibilities, presenting it in a single location with simple, personalized workflows. Key elements include:
- A single intuitive dashboard for task management.
- Graphical elements for commonly performed tasks.
- Mouse-over and one-click drill-down features for quick access to related information.
- Tracking and prioritizing capabilities for workflow management.
- Mini schedule snapshot with one-click drilldowns to the client chart.
- Messages and tasks prominently displayed in an “in-box” layout.
Time to Get Out of Patchwork Automation
With systems now available specifically tailored to mental health practice and integrated across all practice areas, there is an ideal opportunity to upgrade capabilities for improved client care, efficiency, and profitability. Use this blueprint as a guide to select a system that will move you to the next level of practice automation.
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