Suicide Prevention in the Care Delivery Setting: Maximizing Reliability

In 2019, more than 45,000 American adults died from suicide – including 6,261 U.S. Veterans. Suicide is, however, preventable. In 2018, a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) study found that a safety planning in the emergency department intervention for Veterans found to be at high-risk for suicide was associated with 45% fewer suicidal behaviors and more than double the odds of outpatient mental health follow up. Based on the findings of this study, in September 2018, the VA implemented its enterprise-wide Safety Planning in the Emergency Department (SPED) initiative. This panel will discuss real life challenges faced in implementing this initiative at a VA medical center. Panelists, including a former VA medical center director and a physician informaticist with experience deploying hospital information system integrated solutions, will discuss the process of developing a strategic plan, evaluating the need for workflow support technologies, navigating the technology procurement and implementation process in a large healthcare facility with numerous priorities, incorporating technology into clinical and administrative workflows, managing change during go-live and after, and assessing and monitoring impact after implementation. 

VIDEO:  Hear Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen’s insights on this session.