ValueOptions(R) Supports New Hospital-Based Performance Measures to Help Patients Get the Best Treatment for Inpatient and Outpatien...( NORFOLK Va. May 8 /- ValueOptions(R...),Health

NORFOLK, Va., May 8 /PRNewswire/ -- ValueOptions(R), Inc., the nation's largest independent behavioral health and wellness company, announces its support for the use of The Joint Commission's Hospital-Based Inpatient Psychiatric Services (HBIPS) performance measures. The basis for the recently completed pilot program was to establish a set of core performance measures to help patients receive the most appropriate and medically necessary treatment for psychiatric inpatient services and for services upon discharge. Following The Joint Commission's successful pilot testing, these performance measures are now available for widespread use in hospitals.

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There are seven HBIPS performance measures in place for hospitals which are accredited by The Joint Commission:

• Admission screening for violence risk, substance use, psychological trauma history and patient strengths
• Hours of physical restraint use
• Hours of seclusion use
• Patients discharged on multiple antipsychotic medications
• Patients discharged on multiple antipsychotic medications with appropriate justification
• Post discharge continuing care plan created
• Post discharge continuing care plan transmitted to next level of care provider upon discharge

"Coordination between Inpatient and Outpatient providers in these areas will help to ensure positive outcomes for members and their families," said Renee Abdou-Malta, vice president of National Network Services for ValueOptions(R). "We very much encourage our Joint Commission-accredited providers to work tog
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