Date
Summer 2024
Document Type
Scholarly Project
Department
College of Nursing
First Advisor
Rachel Bush
Abstract
Problem Statement: Early intervention for mental illness is vital to a swift recovery and extended wait times for mental health treatment have proven to be a barrier to early intervention. Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to determine if wait times for psychiatry intakes at the University of South Carolina (USC) Student Health Center Psychiatry Services can be reduced and kept under 1 week by utilizing the Specific Timely Appointments for Triage (STAT) model. This model consists of clinicians scheduling a specified number of intake appointments based on the typical demand for service. Students were booked in the earliest possible appointment and bypassed triage as the provider is assuming the role of triage and will be providing interventions as indicated. Method: A pre-post study design was used to compare psychiatric intake wait times from past semesters to wait times during the semester that the intervention occurred. Inclusion Criteria: All students referred for psychiatry intake and all students presenting to the clinic seeking psychiatry intake were included in the study. Analysis: Paired t-tests completed with Intellectus used to evaluate whether the participants experienced a reduction in psychiatry wait times. A cost analysis was conducted to determine the sustainability of the STAT model over time. Implications for Practice: Reducing wait times for students seeking psychiatric intake will lead to early interventions, higher satisfaction scores, and overall better outcomes for students seeking psychiatric intake. Another expected outcome of this project is a greater utilization of psychiatric services by students. Once the perceived barrier of waiting for care is removed, more students will likely seek psychiatric services than in previous semesters. Reducing wait times will also lessen the pressure on providers to provide high quality, rapid, and cost-effective interventions for patients in need of mental health treatment.
Recommended Citation
Carsten, Ryan Brad, "Reducing Wait Times for Psychiatric Intakes" (2024). Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects. 72.
https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/dnp_projects/72
Rights
© 2024, Ryan Bryan Carsten