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Brief Reports
Published Online: 10 May 2023

Effectiveness of a Self-Administered Computerized Mental Health Screening Tool in the Emergency Department

Ronald G. Thompson Jr., Ph.D. [email protected], Samuel Mullinax, B.A., Robert De Monte, B.A., Sacha McBain, Ph.D., Austin Porter, Ph.D., Carly Eastin, M.D., Sara J. Landes, Ph.D., and Michael P. Wilson, M.D., Ph.D.Authors Info & Affiliations
Publication: Psychiatric Services
Volume 74, Number 11
https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.20220523
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Abstract

Objective:

The authors sought to determine the effectiveness of a self-administered computerized mental health screening tool in a general acute care emergency department (ED).

Methods:

Changes in patient care (diagnosis of a past-year psychiatric disorder, request for psychiatric consultation, psychiatric referral at discharge, or transfer to psychiatric facility) and patient ED return visits (3 months after discharge vs. 3 months before) were assessed among ED physicians (N=451) who received patients’ computerized screening reports (N=207) and those who did not (N=244). All patients received copies of screening results.

Results:

The computerized mental health screening tool identified previously undiagnosed psychiatric problems. However, no statistically significant differences were found in physician care or patient ED return visits.

Conclusions:

Computerized mental health screening did not result in further psychiatric diagnoses or treatment; it also did not significantly reduce patient ED return visits. Collaboration among EDs and mental health treatment agencies, organizations, and researchers is needed to facilitate appropriate treatment referrals and linkage.

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Supplementary Material

File (appi.ps.20220523.ds001.pdf)

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Psychiatric Services
Go to Psychiatric Services
Psychiatric Services
Volume 74 • Number 11 • November 01, 2023
Pages: 1180 - 1184
PubMed: 37161345

History

Received: 13 October 2022
Revision received: 22 February 2023
Revision received: 31 March 2023
Published online: 10 May 2023
Published in print: November 01, 2023

Keywords

  1. Universal mental health screening
  2. Computerized mental health screening
  3. Psychiatric diagnosis and practice
  4. Electronic health record
  5. Emergency psychiatry
  6. Mental status examinations

Authors

Details

Ronald G. Thompson Jr., Ph.D. [email protected]
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine (Thompson, McBain, Landes, Wilson), Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine (Mullinax, Eastin, Wilson), and Department of Health Policy and Management, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health (Porter), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock; Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, Pennsylvania (De Monte); Arkansas Department of Health, Little Rock (Porter); Behavioral Health Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, North Little Rock (Landes).
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Samuel Mullinax, B.A.
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine (Thompson, McBain, Landes, Wilson), Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine (Mullinax, Eastin, Wilson), and Department of Health Policy and Management, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health (Porter), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock; Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, Pennsylvania (De Monte); Arkansas Department of Health, Little Rock (Porter); Behavioral Health Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, North Little Rock (Landes).
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Robert De Monte, B.A.
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine (Thompson, McBain, Landes, Wilson), Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine (Mullinax, Eastin, Wilson), and Department of Health Policy and Management, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health (Porter), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock; Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, Pennsylvania (De Monte); Arkansas Department of Health, Little Rock (Porter); Behavioral Health Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, North Little Rock (Landes).
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Sacha McBain, Ph.D.
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine (Thompson, McBain, Landes, Wilson), Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine (Mullinax, Eastin, Wilson), and Department of Health Policy and Management, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health (Porter), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock; Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, Pennsylvania (De Monte); Arkansas Department of Health, Little Rock (Porter); Behavioral Health Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, North Little Rock (Landes).
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Austin Porter, Ph.D.
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine (Thompson, McBain, Landes, Wilson), Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine (Mullinax, Eastin, Wilson), and Department of Health Policy and Management, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health (Porter), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock; Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, Pennsylvania (De Monte); Arkansas Department of Health, Little Rock (Porter); Behavioral Health Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, North Little Rock (Landes).
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Carly Eastin, M.D.
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine (Thompson, McBain, Landes, Wilson), Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine (Mullinax, Eastin, Wilson), and Department of Health Policy and Management, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health (Porter), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock; Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, Pennsylvania (De Monte); Arkansas Department of Health, Little Rock (Porter); Behavioral Health Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, North Little Rock (Landes).
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Sara J. Landes, Ph.D.
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine (Thompson, McBain, Landes, Wilson), Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine (Mullinax, Eastin, Wilson), and Department of Health Policy and Management, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health (Porter), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock; Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, Pennsylvania (De Monte); Arkansas Department of Health, Little Rock (Porter); Behavioral Health Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, North Little Rock (Landes).
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Michael P. Wilson, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine (Thompson, McBain, Landes, Wilson), Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine (Mullinax, Eastin, Wilson), and Department of Health Policy and Management, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health (Porter), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock; Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, Pennsylvania (De Monte); Arkansas Department of Health, Little Rock (Porter); Behavioral Health Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, North Little Rock (Landes).
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Notes

Send correspondence to Dr. Thompson ([email protected]).

Competing Interests

Dr. Landes is a paid consultant for RAND and UTHealth. The other authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Funding Information

This work was supported by an Emergency Medicine Foundation grant. Dr. Landes was supported by Translational Research Institute grant UL1-TR-003107, provided through the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.

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