Increasing Behavioral Health Screening with Epic

November 4, 2019

Integrating questionnaires into the EHR improves screening rates

A study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine shows that incorporating two behavioral health screening questionnaires previously documented on paper into Epic increased screening rates for patients.

More than a quarter of the U.S. population experiences a behavioral health problem each year. By screening patients for these problems, organizations can provide patients treatment they might not have otherwise received, such as a prescription or referral to therapy.

Six of OCHIN’s clinics in Oregon participated in the study, using screening questionnaires that populated progress notes. Using these tools increased screening rates while keeping visits efficient. According to researchers, “[Clinicians] reported the tool added 1 to 2 minutes to the initial visit but saved a significant amount of time during follow-up visits by automatically populating the history of the presenting illness and patient instructions at subsequent visits.”