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Abstract
Improving the quality of HIV Mental Health (MH) services
R N Gass1, B D Agins1, T Armon1, J Buck1, W E O'Malley1, W Ferguson2, G Carrino2, P Weinberg2, J Hilger3
1New York State Department of Health, AIDS Institute, New York, United States; 2IPRO, Lake Success, United States; 3New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, United States
Issues: HIV+ patients face enormous stress at different stages of their disease including diagnosis, initiation of treatment, and progression to AIDS. Programs addressing mental health (MH) needs of HIV patients play an important role in diagnosing and treating HIV-related MH disorders including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Few efforts have occurred to systematically measure and improve the quality of these services. The NYS AIDS Institute in conjunction with the NYC DOH and HIV MH providers identified priority areas for measurement of quality, which include comprehensive annual MH exams, service plan development, and communication with the client's medical provider. Measurement occurred at 25 facilities. In most areas performance scores were above 90% (e.g. comprehensive MH evaluation including cognitive assessment and multi-axis diagnosis, psychosocial assessment) scores for communication between MH and medical programs were low (25 %). These results reflect poor coordination by psychiatrists and HIV providers, resulting in potential drug-drug interactions and decreased adherence. Quality improvement activities initiated to improve coordination resulted in best practices including new protocols to facilitate case conferencing; development of communication tools, and documentation strategies; patient education on importance of care coordination; and use of patients to transmit information between programs. Implemented changes are expected to result in improved scores. Data collection will be completed in 02/04.
Lessons learned: QI activities based on data can improve important systems of care, particularly with respect to communication between MH and primary care programs. This communication can help avoid potential drug-drug interactions, and improve treatment adherence.
Recommendation: To improve the quality of care provided by HIV MH programs, performance measurement and quality management activities should be implemented.
The XV International AIDS Conference
Abstract no.
ThPeE8057
Suggested Citation
" R N Gass , , et al.
Improving the quality of HIV Mental Health (MH) services.
Poster Exhibition:
The XV International AIDS Conference:
Abstract no.
ThPeE8057"
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