Financial Analysis of Behavioral Health Services in a Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic

J Pediatr Psychol. 2016 Sep;41(8):879-87. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsv109. Epub 2015 Nov 26.

Abstract

Objective: This article addresses a current need in psychological practice by describing a financially feasible model that moves toward integrated care of behavioral health services in a pediatric endocrinology clinic.

Methods: Financial information (costs and revenue associated with behavioral health services) for the clinic, over an 18-month period (July 2012 to December 2013), was obtained through the hospital's financial department. The clinic meets one half day per week.

Results: Over the 18-month period, the behavioral health services generated a net gain of $3661.45 in the favor of the clinic. We determined that the psychologist and clinical psychology residents needed to see a total of four patients per half-day clinic for the clinic to "break-even."

Conclusions: We describe one financially feasible way of integrating behavioral health services into a pediatric endocrinology clinic in the hope that this will be generalizable to other medical settings.

Keywords: behavioral; financial feasibility; integrated care; pediatric endocrinology.

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Cost Savings / statistics & numerical data
  • Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / economics*
  • Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / organization & administration
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / economics
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / psychology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / therapy*
  • Endocrinology / economics*
  • Endocrinology / organization & administration
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Health Care Costs / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Income / statistics & numerical data
  • Mental Health Services / economics*
  • Mental Health Services / organization & administration
  • Models, Economic
  • Patient Care Team / economics
  • Patient Care Team / organization & administration
  • Pediatrics / economics*
  • Pediatrics / organization & administration
  • Psychology, Child / economics*
  • Psychology, Child / organization & administration
  • Virginia