Care coordination is essential for providers serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) — and its importance increases when IDD clients experience a dual diagnosis. According to The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD), just over one-third (35%) of individuals with IDD also experience a mental health condition.
For providers to effectively care for clients with a diagnosis of IDD experiencing problem behaviors, they need to apply an integrated, whole-person health approach that accounts for the intertwining nature of IDD problem behavior and other diagnoses. Whole-person care enables providers in different specialties to collaborate to support clients holistically.
But to date, many of these care coordination efforts have been limited by paper-based systems or outdated technologies, causing information silos, inefficient handoffs, and data inconsistencies, among other obstacles to success. By adopting an advanced electronic health record (EHR) developed for IDD, organizations can enhance their care coordination and provide the effective, whole-person care their clients, including those with problem behaviors, deserve.
While an EHR will inherently make managing data and client services easier, not all EHRs are alike. When considering their technology options, IDD service providers will want to weigh software capabilities in the following five areas.
Research shows that dual diagnosis is common for IDD clients. A 2022 study found that individuals with IDD are at higher risk of having depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, impulse control disorders, and other conditions.
To effectively care for clients with multiple diagnoses, different providers — including direct support professionals (DSPs), IDD organizations, counselors, psychiatrists, speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, and others — must work together, sharing information securely and efficiently.
An advanced, artificial intelligence (AI)-integrated EHR strengthens providers’ ability to access and manage client information effectively. Providers can use their EHR platform to securely access outcomes data, intake notes, progress notes, and screening results in real time. Through the EHR, providers can quickly review notes to flag potential comorbidities and communicate securely via text, email, phone, or chat to discuss care coordination processes.
With a central shared source for accurate, up-to-date information about an IDD client’s co-occurring conditions, providers can better collaborate and deliver integrated care. Meanwhile, self-scheduling features, communications portals, and the ability to access educational resources through the EHR empower clients and family members to engage more in their care journey.
EHRs with embedded AI-powered solutions offer additional insights into areas like health-related social needs (HRSN) — economic or environmental conditions that impact one’s overall health. These AI solutions scan provider and caregiver notes to identify HRSN, then surface those findings to providers within a client’s care continuum at the point of care.
Advanced insights, combined with secure communication between providers, families, and caregivers, support more integrated care and better outcomes.
Sharing information across different organizations or specialty areas is key for delivering integrated, whole-person health — but doing so requires system interoperability. Without effective system integration, providers and staff may waste valuable time manually managing secure communications, increasing the risk of errors and lowering productivity.
Interoperable care coordination software, like integrated EHRs, should use standard industry frameworks such as HL7, FHIR, and USCDI standards. These data-exchange standards allow providers to share information efficiently not only with other providers, but with schedulers, billing staff, habilitation service providers, and transportation service providers, for example.
Interoperability enables higher-quality care delivery and care coordination, while reducing costs and improving safety by minimizing redundant or unnecessary services, which are especially important during care transitions. Adopting interoperable care coordination software can create more seamless integration across care settings, group homes, private therapy practices, schools, camps, and home and community-based services — all in service of delivering the best integrated care possible.
The right EHR should be tailored to the types of records and tasks IDD service providers must complete. An intuitive system designed specifically for use in IDD service settings can save users time and resources.
Documentation needs with IDD services differ from those in other care settings. Recording behaviors and identifying patterns is individualized for each client. IDD service providers rely heavily on linking documentation of behaviors to outcomes that can sometimes be subtle to observe. Documentation of IDD services also typically occurs over longer periods than in an outpatient, substance use, or physician practice setting. The process of achieving goals is likely to span numerous months and often many years.
Using technology with built-in prompts around IDD services to aid the completeness, structure, and accuracy of documentation is vital to gaining a full picture of service delivery and progress. The right technology will be able to track progress over time to set meaningful, individualized, and achievable goals.
According to ANCOR research, turnover among DSPs has been hovering around 50% for years. With a turnover rate this high, not only is the integrity of client records paramount, but codifying processes around service delivery and capturing accurate payment data directly affects the bottom line and can make or break an organization.
An EHR needs accurate and efficient workflows with built-in accountability to ensure smooth handoffs over time, more consistency of service, and accurate payments.
When care coordination software within an EHR has built-in steps around IDD service workflows, it takes the guesswork out of the process. Staff know exactly what they need to do, and as they complete a task, the system triggers the next task, enabling efficient and productive day-to-day work.
EHRs with configurable alerts and notifications also help ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Setting business rules around critical events, like when doctor appointments, medication refills, immunizations, or other medical procedures are scheduled, means the IDD care team is always informed. The right software that is designed specifically for IDD needs will already have the necessary workflows and templates in place to be customized as needed.
While most integrated IDD care is conducted face to face, it’s important for providers to be able to access records when and where they need to.
Mobile access also allows direct support professionals to take notes in the field, while a cloud-based system enables staff to review caregiver or provider notes from essentially anywhere. This advanced technology supports adherence to the same structured documentation and workflows regardless of the setting and location.
Delivering integrated care requires providers across a spectrum of services to work in lock step with one another. For individuals with a diagnosis of IDD and problem behaviors, this kind of care coordination is critical to achieving positive outcomes.
Care coordination software that better supports information sharing and management, codifies consistency of care, and extends staff reach and engagement is vital to caring for clients holistically. When researching and assessing IDD software, providers will best position their organizations for success by keeping these factors in mind.
Request a demo today to discover how Core Solutions’ Cx360 platform empowers IDD providers nationwide to deliver integrated care for clients with co-occurring conditions.