ValueOptions Introduces First Electronic Integrated Practice Assessment Tool (IPAT)©

NORFOLK, Va., Sept. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ValueOptions^®, Inc., a health improvement company specializing in mental and emotional wellbeing and recovery, is pleased to announce the launch of the first electronic Integrated Practice Assessment Tool (IPAT)^©, a newly-developed evaluation tool designed to help health care organizations more accurately determine their integration level. Data collected will enable providers, researchers and payors to better measure integration both within and across health care settings.  

As highly coordinated physical and mental health treatment continues to produce better patient outcomes, more practices are turning towards integrated models to address the complexities of co-occurring disorders. However, inconsistent definitions about what constitutes "integration" can contribute to confusion at the practice level.

"People mean different things when they talk about integrated care," said Andrea Auxier, Ph.D., ValueOptions' National Director of Integration, and one of the four creators of IPAT^©.   "We developed IPAT^© to address this issue of variability at the practice level. Instead of a complicated metric assessment, IPAT^© uses a simple decision tree model. In a few questions, practices can easily and objectively determine their current level, as well as outline their next steps toward implementing a higher level of integration, if that is their goal."   

IPAT^© was developed in collaboration by four integration specialists across three organizations. "Having worked together on various projects over the years, we recognized the need for an assessment tool that didn't require a deep understanding or extensive experience in the integration field," said Dr. Auxier. "We created IPAT^© as an applied tool rather than an academic one to make it intuitive and practical for users of all backgrounds."

ValueOptions' electronic version of IPAT^© can be used to assess and compare integration abilities by practice type, or between health care networks and geographic regions.  Additionally, the data collected can help evaluate network readiness for integration, tailor products and services to emerging client needs, and even establish thresholds for payment structures, offering financial incentives for movement along the integration continuum.  IPAT^© can also be used to determine the association between integration level and clinical, cost, and utilization outcomes.

Streamlined and easy-to-use, IPAT^© sorts practices into the six-level integration continuum established by SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions' (CIHS) Standard Framework for Levels of Integrated Healthcare. "IPAT^© is a real-world instrument tied to real-world outcomes," said Kyle Raffaniello, ValueOptions' Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer. "The electronic version will equip providers, health care coordinators and governmental organizations to understand integration efforts with greater specificity, allowing them to provide more effective, more comprehensive care for those who need it most." 

For more information on IPAT^©, and to see a sample of the electronic IPAT^©, visit http://ipat.valueoptions.com. While an NPI is required for online access, a PDF of IPAT^© content is available upon request.

IPAT^© was developed in collaboration by Jeanette Waxmonsky, Ph.D., Director of Community Mental Health Integration, Colorado Access, Assistant Professor Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver; Andrea Auxier, Ph.D., National Director of Integration, ValueOptions; Pam Wise Romero, Ph.D., Chief Clinical Officer, Axis Health System; and Bern Heath, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Axis Health System.

About ValueOptions^®
ValueOptions is a health improvement company that serves more than 34 million individuals. On behalf of employers, health plans and government agencies, we manage innovative programs and solutions that directly address the challenges our health care system faces today. A national leader in the fields of mental and emotional wellbeing, recovery and resilience, employee assistance, and wellness, ValueOptions helps people make the difficult life changes needed to be healthier and more productive. With offices nationwide and a network of more than 130,000 provider locations, ValueOptions helps people take important steps in the right direction. We help them live their lives to the fullest potential. Visit www.valueoptions.com for more information.

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SOURCE ValueOptions