UK HealthCare unveils the government’s first EmPATH initiative to tackle the mental health crisis

Yesterday, community and government leaders joined UK HealthCare officials to celebrate the opening of a new emergency department dedicated to the treatment of patients with mental health problems.

The unit, known as EmPATH (Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment and Recovery), is the first EmPATH unit in Kentucky. The UK HealthCare EmPATH Psychiatric Unit opened on July 30 on the Eastern State Hospital campus.

Improving access to mental health care is one of the most important steps we can take to create a healthy environment for all of our families. The EmPATH Center will be a valuable resource for the residents of Central Kentucky, and I applaud UK HealthCare, New Vista and Eastern State Hospital for working together to bring it to the Commonwealth.”

Rocky Adkins, senior adviser to Kentucky governor Andy Beshear

Currently, there are only 30 EmPATH units in the US UK HealthCare and New Vista have partnered with leadership from the Health and Family Services Cabinet to bring this new type of emergency health care Kentucky.

“The EmPATH model is a game changer for mental health care, and we are proud to be the first in the state to open this facility,” said Robert S. DiPaola, MD, executive vice president for health at the University of Kentucky. news. “For many, seeking care for a mental health issue can be difficult, confusing and even intimidating. At EmPATH, we use a proven, evidence-based approach that allows our health team of behavior to provide quick, appropriate diagnosis and easy care for patients to reach an environment conducive to recovery.”

Founded by world-renowned psychiatrist Scott Zeller, MD, EmPATH centers are carefully designed physical environments that help patients with severe mental health issues receive immediate support. Instead of individual treatment rooms, the units are spacious open spaces with comfortable seating. Upon arrival, individuals will interact with supportive health care providers including psychiatrists, nurses, social workers and even peer support professionals and may stay in the unit for up to 23 hours.

Eastern State’s Chief Administrative Officer and psychologist Lindsey Jasinski, Ph.D., says the peer support aspect is one of the key factors that have made this model successful. Patients will have the opportunity to talk to others who have to deal with taking medication, receiving treatment and participating in various programs.

“We have people who will say, ‘Can I share my experience with you?'” Jasinski said. “It can help to hear from someone who has been in a difficult place and was able to successfully navigate through it. It gives hope, and that’s what the EmPATH model is all about.”

At approximately 11,000 square feet, UK HealthCare’s EmPATH Psychiatric Unit has space for up to 12 patients at a time. Providers and support staff will regularly assess the individual’s symptoms and develop a plan of care, which may include a treatment plan and return home by coordinating with appropriate outpatient services, or hospitalization as an inpatient for round-the-clock care. Nationally, studies show that 60-70% of people who come to an EmPATH center are stabilized and return home within 24 hours; patients treated at these centers also have a greater chance of continuing their care. A study published in Academic Emergency Medicine showed that 60% of people in rural areas with suicidal thoughts or suicidal ideation sought follow-up care after their first treatment at EmPATH. .

In addition to providing faster, more appropriate care for psychiatric patients, the EmPATH team will help reduce the burden on traditional emergency departments. A 2020 study of emergency visits related to mental health showed an increase from 6.6% to 10.9% between 2007-2016. Zeller and the physician-owned partnership Vituity, which helps hospitals set up their EmPATH centers, estimate that currently 12-15% of emergency visits are related to behavioral health.

However, while Emergency Departments (EDs) can provide critical care for acute injuries, illnesses, and trauma, they often do not have the equipment or staff to effectively treat people with medical conditions. mental health. Because the ED must prioritize patients with life-threatening problems, those who come to the ED for mental health care may be waiting for long periods of time in an environment that is not suited to help these people.

Andrew Cooley, MD, is a UK HealthCare psychiatrist and has served as chief medical officer at the National Eastern Hospital since 2013.

“Our emergency departments provide incredible care and save countless lives every day,” Cooley said. “But we know that patients who come in with a life-threatening injury will need to be prioritized, and patients with behavioral health problems will fall down the list to receive treatment. EmPATH is another approach more than that – the patient appears here, and we immediately greet them and begin to take care of them.”

UK HealthCare’s EmPATH Psychiatric Unit is open to adults aged 18 and over with a mental health problem, which is broadly defined as: any mental health problem that interferes with the ability to they are to do normal daily activities, take care of themselves and keep themselves safe. That can include those seeking help for substance abuse problems, those with depression and anxiety, someone who is thinking about harming or killing themselves, and more. Patients can be brought in by emergency medical services (EMS), or they can show up and present themselves there.

Marc Woods, DNP, has worked with Eastern State Hospital for more than 30 years and serves as chief nurse.

“The patient describes the problem. We’re very open,” said Woods. “Immediately we try to assess what their needs are – not just for behavioral health, but also their basic needs. It allows our doctors to say, ‘Are you hungry? Are you would I like a Coke?’ We build relationships quickly to not only address the mental health problem, but also connect them to other services to improve their overall health and well-being.”

The EmPATH unit is part of UK HealthCare and will have its own separate entrance on the Eastern State Hospital campus, on Bull Lea Road in Lexington. Eastern State Hospital is owned by the Kentucky Department of Behavioral Health, Development and Mental Disabilities and managed by UK HealthCare. It has 195 intensive care beds and provides sensitive, focused care to adults from the state’s 50 states.

Other government, community and UK leaders shared their thoughts on the opening of UK HealthCare’s new EmPATH Psychiatric Hospital at Eastern State Hospital:

Kentucky Department of Behavioral Health, Development and Mental Disabilities Commissioner Katherine Marks:

“We are fortunate to partner with UK HealthCare for the operation of Eastern State Hospital, an important part of our health safety net and a testament to how Kentuckians come together to provide quality-based care. The evidence-based, patient-centred UK EmPATH unit on hospital grounds is opening a new door to providing a responsive and effective service to people with health problems, and being connect seamlessly with the right and minimal level of care to meet their needs.”

Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton:

“East Kingdom Hospital continues to be a leader in providing the best mental health care to their patients. Today’s opening of the EmPATH branch, the first of its kind of Kentucky, is a major step in providing emergency mental health care. This will change our community, and thank you to UK HealthCare and Eastern State!

Vista’s New Clinical Officer Nikki Stanaitis:

“New Vista is proud to partner with UK HealthCare to introduce a new level of care to members of the community in crisis and reduce the need for hospitalization. As a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, New Vista is committed to meeting the health needs of of the behavior of Central Kentuckians in new and available ways.