Data: The Foundation of your Hospital's Behavioral Health Impact Story-CME Paid Option-Video

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The session focused on how rural and critical access hospitals can use existing data to demonstrate the impact of behavioral health services and strengthen grant applications, board buy-in, and long-term sustainability. Presenter Cammie Norland emphasized that hospitals already collect plenty of data; the challenge is translating it into a compelling story that combines quantitative evidence with qualitative patient experience.<br /><br />Key data sources discussed included community health needs assessments (CHNAs), PHQ-9 screening results, claims data, HCAHPS patient experience measures, MB-QIP quality metrics, ED utilization, referral completion rates, and county/state/national behavioral health statistics. Norland stressed that funders want evidence of need, proof of response, measurable outcomes, and a sustainability plan—not just descriptions of activities.<br /><br />Michelle from Manning Regional Healthcare Center shared practical examples of how her hospital uses internal data tracking, SharePoint, and a mix of EHR and manual documentation to monitor referrals, wait times, transportation, no-shows, and service-line performance. She described how data supported expansion of behavioral health services, substance use disorder programs, transportation support, MAT clinic development, and other initiatives.<br /><br />The speakers repeatedly noted that successful grants start with need, not funding. Hospitals should identify trends, focus on outcomes rather than outputs, and avoid collecting unnecessary metrics. Their central message: hospitals do not have a data problem, but often a translation problem. The goal is to organize data so boards believe it, communities understand it, and grant reviewers fund it.

Keywords

rural hospitals

critical access hospitals

behavioral health services

grant applications

community health needs assessments

PHQ-9 screening

patient experience metrics

referral completion rates

data storytelling

sustainability planning