Emergency Department Program to Help Address the Increasing Demand for Behavioral Care
Sidney, MT – Sidney Health Center, a nonprofit community based medical center serving people in the MonDak region for more than 100 years, announced the recent launch of a new emergency department telepsychiatry program in partnership with Array Behavioral Care, the largest telepsychiatry practice in the country and a thought leader in modern behavioral health care. With psychiatry delivered through real-time, in-hospital videoconferencing, Sidney Health Center’s emergency clinicians and patients will now have greater access to appropriate, timely psychiatric coverage to address the growing mental health crisis.
Sidney Health Center Partners with Array Behavioral Care to Launch Telepsychiatry Program in Richland County
The innovative program at Sidney Health Center implements on-demand telepsychiatry, which has been proven to be an effective form of care delivery and a convenient, cost-effective way to safely expand psychiatric support without the challenge of staffing an in-person psychiatry provider. Through the new program, Array psychiatry clinicians will see Sidney Health Center patients directly in the emergency department and consult with emergency department staff on next steps, treatment plans, and medication, if needed. With this additional clinical support, Sidney Health Center can shorten wait times, make better use of available beds, improve satisfaction, and help ensure individuals are receiving the most appropriate, least restrictive level of care.
“Through this partnership, we feel better equipped to meet the needs of patients who are seeking mental health care,” said Sidney Health Center CEO, Jennifer Doty. “Array’s extensive clinical expertise will enable us to meet the increasing behavioral health demand in our community. In the long run, I envision this program not only improving patient satisfaction, but emergency department physicians and other staff satisfaction as well.”
The Sidney Health Center and Array partnership comes at a time when mental health is a top concern in Montana. In fact,
in a 2020 PHQ-9 screen for severe depression, Richland County was among one of the top scoring counties indicating the widespread behavioral health needs of residents. The mental health crisis exacerbated by the pandemic combined with a shortage of psychiatrists nationwide has resulted in an increased demand for behavioral healthcare in emergency departments, including at Sidney Health Center.
“We are pleased to partner with Sidney Health Center to offer this program in an area where it’s needed most,” said Array Vice President, Liz Bello. “A 2017 study found that 55% of counties in the continental U.S. do not have any psychiatrists. As a result, we’ve seen the demand for behavioral care in acute settings soar. It’s important to efficiently address these needs via telepsychiatry so that all patients in the emergency department are able to receive the care they need.”
Learn more about Array Behavioral Care’s
on-demand services for emergency departments, hospitals, and other acute care settings.
About Sidney Health Center
Sidney Health Center is a not-for-profit community based medical center that has been serving people in the MonDak region for more than 100 years. Located in the heart of Richland County, the attractive Eastern Montana campus includes an acute care hospital, clinic area, retail pharmacy and an extended care facility offering a complete range of services from birth through end-of-life, which is complemented by an array of outreach services. To learn more, visit
https://www.sidneyhealth.org/.
About Array
Array Behavioral Care (formerly InSight + Regroup) is the leading and largest telepsychiatry service provider in the country with a mission to transform access to quality, timely behavioral health care. Array offers telepsychiatry solutions and services across the continuum of care, from hospital to home, through its OnDemand Care, Scheduled Care and AtHome Care divisions. For more than 20 years, Array has partnered with hundreds of hospitals and health systems, community healthcare organizations and payers of all sizes to expand access to care and improve outcomes for underserved individuals, facilities, and communities. As an industry pioneer and established thought leader, Array has helped shape the field, define the standard of care and advocate for improved telepsychiatry-friendly regulations. To learn more, visit
www.arraybc.com.
