Krista McClinton (L) and Kristin Grems (R) of Mind Springs Health
Even though the behavioral health industry lags behind their physical health peers in electronic health record adoption, there is no question that their participation is vital. In addition to meaningful use incentive funds, there are numerous reasons for behavioral health agencies to get on board with certified EHR technology.
For Mind Springs Health (formerly Colorado West Regional Mental Health, Inc.), based in Glenwood Springs, CO, their implementation of the CareLogic Enterprise EHR brought with it improvements in both clinician and client satisfaction. We sat down with Krista McClinton, regional director, and Kristin Grems, program coordinator and clinician in Vail, CO, to learn more about their experience.
Ease of Use Prompts Clinician Adoption
A fast and user-efficient EHR can yield so many positive results for a behavioral health agency.
“CareLogic just makes it so easy,” says McClinton. “Easy to train, easy to create forms, easy to set up workflow and treatment plans, and automatically triggers for quality clinical documentation. We have had two recent audits: Our State of Colorado audit yielded our highest results ever. The auditors were very complimentary of us—that was very exciting! We just got results back from our 411 RAC Audit, and we scored 93%! I really attribute our high scores to CareLogic.”
With the ease of use, clinicians have taken the initiative to fully embrace and own their EHR.
“The clinicians have a friendly competition in the office for who has the shortest Days to Signature time,” says McClinton. “They can see the information themselves and take personal responsibility for an activity that reduces failed activities – all to the benefit of the agency.”
Concurrent Documentation and Client Trust
The clinician-friendly nature of CareLogic also makes it a boon for the clients they serve. Even with the varied program mix and 10-county coverage of Mind Springs, the client and clinician experiences are pretty seamless.
“At-a-glance information makes it easy for me to catch up with my clients quickly – the last time they saw their med provider, provider encounters coming up,” says Grems. “It’s comforting for them to know that I know what’s going on with them.”
That coordination of care between providers – as well as improved access to care – really resonates with clients.
“Clients appreciate the warm hand-off between providers,” says McClinton. “Everybody is accessing the same information, so they don’t have to re-tell their story. And being able to access their records and easily print out reports to take to their other providers means nothing is lost in translation.”
Clinician proficiency with the EHR enabled Mind Springs to implement concurrent documentation via two screens, an activity clients fully support and benefit from.
“By documenting the visit while we are together, my clients become more involved in their own care and really invested in their therapy,” says Grems. “Concurrent documentation minimizes the tension that can arise when a client is suspicious of what they can’t see. They’re more engaged in their goals and direction, which helps them stick with their treatment longer.”
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