Post on 10-Jul-2015
TELEHEALTH
Anna M. Baznik
CEO IMPOWER
ABOUT US
Leading non-profit mental health and child well-being organization
Founded in 1994 rooted in Central Florida
Primary services include mental health therapy, psychiatric treatment, case management, adoptions, and independent living
Services delivered in Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Brevard, Volusia and Polk Counties
Serve more than 9,000 individuals and families in the home, school and community-based settings
Mental Health Needs Unmet• 1 in 4 adults (approx. 61.5 million Americans)
experiences mental illness in a given year
• 1 in 5 youth ages 13 to 18 have severe mental health disorders in a given year
• 50% of all chronic mental illness begins by age 14
• Approx. 60 % of adults & 50% of youth with mental illness received no mental health services in the previous year
Shortages in Mental Health Practitioners
• 89.3 million Americans live in federally-designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas
• Data show a need for 25.9 Psychiatrists per 100,000 people to meet current mental health crisis. National average is 10 per 100,000 people. Florida has only 7 per 100,000 people.
• Average age of U.S. Psychiatrist is over 55
Why Telehealth? Why Now?
Lack of Access to Treatment
Affordable Care Act
4 Million New in Florida to be Insured
Rural / Geographic Challenges
Insufficient Transportation
Behavioral Health Well-Suited
Telephone
Computer
Smart Phone/Tablet
Kiosk
TELEHEALTH IS A SOLUTION
Our Pilot
Developed P&Ps & Best Practices
Informed Consent & Training Acknowledgement
HIPAA Compliant Platform
Trained Psychiatrists to use telehealth
Went “live” in March 2013
Over 650 Individual Sessions for Med. Mgt.
In accordance w/ American Telemedicine Assoc.
IMPOWER’s FIRST TELEHEALTH RECIPIENTMarch 29, 2013
“Allie” Age 9 with Dr. Cynthia Higgins
BENEFITS
Patients
• More Convenient• Brings Care to Patient• Increases Practitioner Selection• Reduces Travel Time and Costs• Improves Satisfaction in Health Care• More Confidential • Reduces Stigma
Providers• Voluntary• More Relaxed/Open Patient• Reduces Delays & No Shows• Increases Productivity• Promotes Collaborative Care• More Convenient• Cuts down overhead and costs
• Spring of 2014, Rule 64B8-9.0141(4) F.A.C., prohibits physicians to prescribe controlled substances via telehealth
• Problem: Many therapeutic drugs for ADHD in children are stimulants in controlled drug classes
• Forced to cease all telehealth services
• Sought legal counsel, petitioned for variance, acquired waiver to resume provision of med. mgt. services via telehealth in Oct. 2014.
• IMPOWER is the ONLY entity in FL whose practitioners can legally prescribe non-narcotic controlled substances via telehealth
What’s Next? Telehealth Service Expansion: Practitioner Recruitment
Commercial Insurances
2015 FL Legislative Work
Partnerships with physician practices, hospitals, universities, group care facilities
Develop 24/7 access to servicess
Internet business - Affordable self-pay services
Consulting services to assist other healthcare organizations to develop telehealth programs
Questions??????
Stay Connected
www.impowerfl.org
References The National Alliance on Mental Illness - Mental Illness Facts
and Numbers, March 2013. The National Alliance on Mental Illness 1 (800) 950-NAMI www.nami.org 3803 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203
Alison S. Cole, B.A., Psychiatric Service Provision n Broome County: Concerns & Suggestions, Broome county Mental Health Dept. SUNY at Binghamptom, Feb. 2007
Kliff, Sarah, Seven Facts About America’s Mental Health Care System, The Washington Post, Dec. 12, 2012