NorthShore University Evanston (Ill.) Hospital created a pilot program to help mental health patients access care sooner after an emergency department visit, reports the Chicago Tribune.
"Patients are having to wait six to eight weeks for psychiatric appointments these days. We're having very, very long wait times in general for first mental health evaluations," Yaffa Kagan, RN, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and director of the pilot program, told the publication.
The new psychiatric urgent care program will connect mental health patients with a team of psychologists, nurses and social workers within 48 hours of an ED visit to provide a psychiatric evaluation. Patients will be able to attend appointments with the care team twice a week for up to three months, or until they can see a permanent mental health professional for care.
NorthShore is rolling out the pilot program "very carefully, slowly, based on referrals," Ms. Kagan told Chicago Tribune. She said the psychiatric care team could eventually see one to five new patients and six to nine follow-up appointments in a typical day.