Remodeled emergency department will better manage Veterans' mental health crises
By Michael E. Compeau, Public Affairs Specialist
A new mental health area is the latest expansion Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center (LSCVAMC) has introduced in a three year-long construction project increasing capabilities within the emergency department (ED).
The most recent additional capability to the LSCVAMC ED to be opened is a mental health section—a secure-access section of the ED that provides space for patient interviews and consultations, and adds individual patient rooms with line-of-sight observation by ED nurses.
“We are excited to have this new space now,” said Dante Attinato, assistant ED nurse manager. “The new expanded space will help us to assist Veterans in crisis faster, and we’ll be capable of assisting with multiple patients at the same time, getting each Veteran the care they need with minimal delay.”
The ED Mental Health Intervention Suite officially opened at the end of May and now provides four dedicated MH intervention rooms, a dedicated changing room, an interview room, and a centrally located mental health nursing station.
How it will work
When a Veteran arrives at the ED, they will immediately be triaged to determine the nature of the emergency. If a mental health component is identified, a nurse and police officer will accompany the patient to a changing room where they will change into hospital garments and personal effects will be inventoried and reviewed for safety.
Next a discussion will be held in a secure, private interview room with a nurse to gather more detailed information to determine the nature of their current condition. Aspects of the patient history, past concerns and events will be reviewed and noted. A social worker, counselor or a psychiatrist may be called in for consultation or follow up.
Once a determination is made for the most appropriate care, the patient may be referred for medical or psychiatric admission, outpatient appointment, substance use disorder treatment, or discharge. In cases where applicable, the individual may be provided services from the homeless Veteran program or referred to other community assistance programs.
“We haven’t made changes to the process we use to intake patients—those remain the same—but the new space will help us to assist these patients in a safer environment, therefore helping to determine the best next steps of care personalized to each individual.,” Attinato said.