PROVIDENCE – Newport Mental Health has received a $422,000 grant from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island to help the practice better anticipate patients’ needs.
Newport Mental Health, one of the founders of the statewide Horizon Health Partners, is the first recipient of Blue Cross’ new Behavioral Health Quality Grant program.
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The practice plans to use the grant to help launch its electronic health record program, which will include data analysis to help providers pinpoint emerging trends and mental and behavioral health issues.
The updates have the potential to make real differences in some patients’ lives, said Jamie Lehane, CEO and president of Newport Mental Health.
“Data science offers an unprecedented opportunity not only for more robust diagnostics but also the prediction of outcome, treatment response and patient preferences to inform interventions,” he said. “Even slight improvements on mental health care provision and management could generate solid benefits to the health and life expectancy of people with mental illness and in the reduction of health care costs.”
All members of Horizon Health Partners, a network of nonprofit mental health organizations, will use the new electronic health record system, with the grant allowing Newport Mental Health to analyze data gathered by each practice.
Providers hope that looking at information compiled by practices across the state will allow them to get a better sense of patients’ needs.
“Mental disorders are arguably the greatest ‘hidden’ burden of ill health, with substantial long-term impacts on individuals, careers and society,” Lehane said. “People with these conditions are often socially excluded and often do not receive the services they need, and when they do, many do not receive adequate follow-up.”
Blue Cross launched its Behavioral Health Quality Grant program to help mental health providers develop systems to screen patients and track their progress and outcomes.
“We are encouraged by Newport Mental Health’s proactive approach in analyzing available data to discover what’s most effective when it comes to behavioral health care treatments,” said Sarah Fleury, manager of behavioral health at Blue Cross. “This type of value-based care and collaboration improves patient care and reduces the burden on the health care system, and we are proud to support it.”
Elizabeth Graham is a PBN contributing writer.
