Categorized | Health

Mental health hospital visits, charges rising

MEDIA RELEASE

Hospital visits and charges related to mental health have risen sharply between 2009 and 2012 according to the Hawaii Health Information Corporation (HHIC), the state’s premier healthcare data collector and analyzer.

HHIC found that overall, there was an increase in emergency room (ER) visits, inpatient admissions and hospital charges across the state.

Total mental health ER visits, not including inpatient admissions, for 2012 were 13,666 — up 20 percent from 2009. Since 2009, there has been a 14.3 percent jump in total inpatient admissions via the ER — 3,535 in 2009 and 4,040 in 2012. This meant a significant increase in costs to treat patients.

In 2012, Hawaii spent a total of $98.3 million on ER charges and inpatient admissions related to mental illness, a 30 percent increase over the $76.1 million in 2009.

Over the last three years, about one quarter of all spending in the state (23 percent) has been on treating various forms of substance abuse including alcohol, opioid, and cocaine abuse and dependence.

“These mental health findings will help inform the discussion among our elected officials, healthcare providers and mental health experts,” said Peter Sybinsky, Ph.D., president and CEO of HHIC.

Findings are based on data collected from all hospitals across the state, except Tripler Army Medical Center. Data includes reports on mental illness and mental health problems such as acute anxiety, childhood behavioral disorders, depression, schizophrenia, personality disorders and substance abuse.

Established in 1994, HHIC maintains one of the largest comprehensive health care databases in the state, comprised of local and national inpatient, emergency department and financial data.

The research and data compiled are analyzed and disseminated statewide and are used to help shape healthcare policy and educate decision makers, health care providers and industry experts.

Through HHIC Knowledge Nuggets, the organization seeks to inform the public about important healthcare topics.

— Find out more:
www.hhic.org

HHICMentalHealthKnuggetIG

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