RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Warm Handoffs and Attendance at Initial Integrated Behavioral Health Appointments
JF The Annals of Family Medicine
JO Ann Fam Med
FD American Academy of Family Physicians
SP 346
OP 348
DO 10.1370/afm.2263
VO 16
IS 4
A1 Christine A. Pace
A1 Katherine Gergen-Barnett
A1 Alysa Veidis
A1 Joanna D’Afflitti
A1 Jason Worcester
A1 Pedro Fernandez
A1 Karen E. Lasser
YR 2018
UL http://www.annfammed.org/content/16/4/346.abstract
AB Though integrated behavioral health programs often encourage primary care physicians to refer patients by means of a personal introduction (warm handoff), data are limited regarding the benefits of warm handoffs. We conducted a retrospective study of adult primary care patients referred to behavioral health clinicians in an urban, safety-net hospital to investigate the association between warm handoffs and attendance rates at subsequent initial behavioral health appointments. In multivariable analyses, patients referred via warm handoffs were not more likely to attend initial appointments (OR = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.79-1.18; P = .71). A prospective study is necessary to confirm the role of warm handoffs.