April 4, 2019
Premera conducts an annual provider survey about collaboration between primary care practitioners (PCPs) and behavioral health practitioners (BHPs).
Why we conduct the survey
You’re on the front lines of behavioral health. When a patient has a behavioral health need, talking with a PCP is often the first step to finding help. Screening for behavioral health disorders during primary care is a widely-recognized standard of care.
Who took the survey
Pacific Market Research, our vendor, collects data through a telephone survey of PCPs in all service areas. In 2018, the majority of the respondents were MDs and DOs, followed by ARNPs and PAs.
Key findings
- Electronic Health Record (EHR) Use
The survey found 86 percent of PCPs regularly use EHRs. Of those PCPs, one third use the same EHR as their BHP colleagues. Among those who use the same HER the majority (93 percent) use it to review their patient’s behavioral health information. In 2018, 58 percent of PCPs who don’t use a shared EHR can access their patient’s behavioral health records from other sources.
- Status Reports
When referring a patient for behavioral health care, more than 70 percent of PCP respondents prepare a summary report to accompany the referral. After a patient has been seen by a BHP or admitted to a facility for behavioral health services, only half of PCPs receive a status report back from the BHP or facility. PCPs are more likely to receive a report back from an inpatient facility (54 percent) than from a BHP (39 percent), or from an outpatient program (30 percent).
- Most Valuable Information
PCPs continue to report that medications, treatment plans, and diagnosis are still the most valuable information they receive from BHPs. Only half of the respondents reported they were satisfied with the information they receive from BHPs.
We continue to encourage all practitioners to collaborate to improve coordination of patient care, safety and well-being of patients.