Virginia's hospitals, emergency physicians and the state's behavioral health agency have developed guidelines for evaluating psychiatric patients to ensure they are admitted to the appropriate facility, according to the Staunton News Leader.
The state's new guidelines were implemented in early November, according to the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.
Baseline standards for assessing patients who come to an emergency department with psychiatric symptoms have been established. The assessment and screening guidelines will help identify what's causing a patient's psychiatric distress as well as other chronic medical conditions so providers can find the appropriate care setting.
Additionally, the guidelines create a process for performing toxicology and screening tests on patients who present at an ED in need of mental healthcare to exclude other factors that could complicate their diagnosis and assessment.
"There is a growing demand for mental health treatment services in Virginia," said Sean Connaughton, president and CEO of Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association.
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