Program Updates

Update from Mark Haskins
Vice-President of Program Operations

I have been with LSSNWO for just a little less than 3 months – long enough to have some thoughts about current and future services. I am very impressed with the dedication shown by the staff at all levels. I am impressed with the Food Pantry, Rosa Morgan Adult Day Treatment, Resource Centers, outpatient chemical dependency and mental health services and the support given to the programs by the Development, Foundation and Fiscal/HR staff. I plan to add to the overall sense of mission and collaboration that already exists.

Although there many things we could do in the future to address the needs of our clients, I would like to highlight two – Veterans and Chemical Dependency Services. There
is funding in different arenas aimed at suicide prevention/crisis intervention, mental health and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment and substance abuse treatment. I would like to see us become an active player in providing these services to veterans. The CEO, Nancy Yunker and I are both working with local and state organizations that are supportive of us becoming more involved in service delivery to veterans. We have a unique opportunity in that we are probably the largest faith based Lutheran agency in the state doing counseling.

Although we do currently provide some outpatient services to chemically dependent clients and these services are well-received, we are not providing any Intensive Outpatient Programming – the most intensive services that can be provided to outpatient clients. IOP’s provide at least 9 hours of educational, treatment and sober support to clients recovering from addictions. It is done utilizing a group modality with highly
trained clinicians. These are the most successful programs in helping people obtain and maintain sobriety.

Look for us to develop both Veterans and Chemical Dependency services in the near future.

 

Computer Based Records for LSS To Serve Our Clients Better!

There was a time when computer skills were good to have but optional when working in the health care field. Now that is changing. Health care systems are turning to technology to store electronic medical records and computerized paperless documentation.  Electronic formats are being used much more frequently in health care systems to keep track of client care and private health information. Using electronic forms can be beneficial for quality of care when communicating with other health care providers, too.

But what are the effects of electronic documentation upon clinical care? Recently one of our therapists in the Toledo office of LSSNWO needed to transfer a young client to another therapist in Lima because the family was moving. This young person’s therapist in Toledo contacted our therapist in our Lima office to set an appointment for him. Our Lima therapist was instantly able to look up the young client’s name up in our computerized documentation system and then see information about his previous care at Lutheran Social Services including diagnostic information, progress and therapy goals. Anyone involved in a client’s care can access the same information, even remotely and that improves client care.   In another case, a probation officer who had a signed release to talk to us contacted our agency to verify that the individual that he referred to us for services was indeed attending sessions. If the client had not been attending sessions as the court had ordered he stood the risk of incarceration. The client’s therapist was able to click onto the client’s chart in the computer software system and instantly give the probation officer the dates of service when the client was seen.  Having easy and immediate access to client information is a primary reason for any electronic health record system.

Other pluses to electronic records are that information is less likely to be lost and it is stored in a much smaller space. I recently attended a meeting and spoke with a judge who bemoaned the fact that the county had just spent many thousands of dollars to add an entire wing to the courthouse to contain paper legal records that now were being stored on a hard drive in a computer. Evidently even courts are using electronic documentation. All private health information that is documented electronically is stored confidentially and is HIPPA compliant. The software used for clinical documentation also helps clinicians adhere to practice guidelines to show level and consistency of care.

 Our employees who are familiar with using our computerized electronic documentation system report a more efficient use of time, an improvement in the quality of their documentation, and improved client safety and care. Lutheran Social Services’ goal is for the entire agency to “go paperless” and convert to entirely electronic documentation by the end of 2012. Most employees will not have problems learning to use a computerized electronic information system, but they must receive detailed training. Electronic information systems are expensive. Training and the cost of adequate equipment is an expensive venture for Lutheran Social Services. Converting to computerized electronic documentation will benefit everyone concerned by increasing work efficiency and improving client care and safety.