WWD2 - Elimination of Behavioral Health Wait Times: Impact on “Avoidable” Medical Visits, Productivity, and Revenues in an FQHC

Session Description: Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are unique providers of integrated medical and behavioral health care in the U.S. Access and engagement in behavioral health services have become increasingly challenging, often resulting in wait times of several months. Crescent Care, an FQHC in New Orleans, implemented “Phase-Based Care” methodology, successfully eliminating a 702-person waitlist within 3.5 months without additional staffing. Phase-Based Care is an evidence-based, logic-driven organizational change that directs 75% of the therapy and medication management resources to new and high acuity patients.
A comparative analysis of six-month periods before and after the intervention revealed significant outcomes: a 23% reduction avoidable medical encounters (p < 0.001), while behavioral health revenues increased by 29% (p < 0.001). Additionally, behavioral health visits rose by 165% (p < 0.001), behavioral health evaluations surged by 287% (p < 0.001), and no-shows decreased by 33% (p < 0.001). Consequently, the average monthly revenue for this cohort increased by $23,868.
This intervention demonstrates an effective strategy for improving access to behavioral health services within an FQHC setting, emphasizing the potential for similar models to address waitlist challenges nationwide.