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Impacts of payment models on the organization of hospital care and outcomes for persons with mental illness
Investigator (PI): Slade, Eric
Past Investigator: Goldman, Howard H
Performing Organization (PO): (Current): University of Maryland Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry / (410) 328-6735
Supporting Agency (SA): National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Initial Year: 2015
Final Year: 2020
Record Source/Award ID: RePorter/R01MH107459
Funding: Total Award Amount: $1,935,166
2015 Award Amount: $546,900
2016 Award Amount: $470,352
2017 Award Amount: $467,090
2018 Award Amount: $450,824
Award Type: Grant
Abstract: This observational study examines the impacts of a statewide hospital payment reform on the hospital care of persons with chronic mental illness by comparing trends in Maryland, which implemented the payment reform, to trends in Pennsylvania, which did not. In 2014, Maryland transitioned from a fee-for-service hospital payment system to a population-based payment system characterized by prospectively assigned global budgets and performance incentives. This change in hospital financing is expected to result in reorganization of hospital care for persons with chronic conditions. For persons with mental illnesses, in particular, it is expected to result in greater integration of their mental health and general medical care, increased outpatient follow-up following an inpatient stay, and reduced hospital readmissions. However, over a longer time period, incentives created by adverse selection may lead some hospitals to reduce the array of mental health services they offer and their mental health staffing levels. The study's specific aims are to examine how Maryland's payment reform affected 1) receipt of outpatient follow-up, transitional care management, and/or care integration services after an inpatient stay; 2) inpatient readmission; and 3) and total hospital spending; and 4) to use qualitative methods to explore hospital clinical leaders' perceptions of how Maryland's hospital payment reform affected care integration and access to needed outpatient health care. For aims 1-3, regression analysis is being used to analyze process of care outcomes for adults (ages 18+) with mental illness who were hospitalized in calendar years 2012 to 2017 in Maryland or Pennsylvania for either a psychiatric condition or a general medical care condition. For aim 4, we are completing qualitative interviews with directors of hospitals' clinical programs. This study is timely and significant because it will provide some of the first estimates of the impacts of population-based hospital system financing with strict budgetary controls on care coordination and integration for individuals with complex mental health conditions. The proposed study is both timely and innovative because its results will inform policymakers' assessments of how similar reforms are likely to affect the quality and value of hospital care for individuals with chronic mental illness and one or more co-occurring chronic medical problems.
MeSH Terms:
  • Adult
  • Chronic Disease
  • Economics, Hospital
  • Fee-for-Service Plans
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • * Health Care Costs
  • Health Care Reform
  • Health Policy
  • Health Services Accessibility
  • * Hospital Administration
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Maryland
  • Mental Disorders /economics
  • /*rehabilitation /*therapy
  • Middle Aged
  • Observational Studies as Topic
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Outpatients
  • Patient Readmission
  • Pennsylvania
  • Regression Analysis
  • Reimbursement Mechanisms
  • Young Adult
Keywords:
  • Maryland
  • Pennsylvania
  • adult
  • affect
  • chronic
  • complex
  • cost
  • economics
  • follow-up
  • health services
  • health services accessibility
  • healthcare
  • healthcare systems
  • hospital readmission
  • hospital utilization
  • hospitalization
  • hospitals
  • incentives
  • inpatients
  • interview
  • mental disorders
  • mental health
  • mental health services
  • observational study
  • outcome
  • outpatients
  • patients
  • payment
  • perception
  • performance
  • population-based
  • qualitative methods
  • severe mental illness
Country: United States
State: Maryland
Zip Code: 21201
UI: 20162134
Project Status: Completed
Record History: ('2018: co-PI Goldman joined the project. 2019: Goldman became inactive.',) ('Project extended to 2020, 5/31/19',)