Thanks to a scarcity of alternative options, patients with psychiatric conditions often seek help from emergency departments in non-crisis situations when their usual psychiatrist, psychologist or therapist is unavailable. To combat this issue, Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health crafted a new service model, HMH Urgent Care, which blends behavioral health services with walk-in care and telemedicine visits.
The Neptune, N.J., center is the nation's first medically integrated urgent care center with behavioral health, providing both customary physical services as well as psychiatric services.
The urgent care environment helps address psychiatric issues before they become a crisis, alleviating the burden on emergency departments. HMH Urgent Care offers short-term outpatient care for patients 16 years and older who deal with mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, mood disorders and behavioral issues.