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Emergency Department Care Transition Programs

March 13, 2025

Value-Based Care Interventions That Need System-Level Support

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The demand for mental health services has seen a steady increase in recent times. In our new issue brief, we investigate the utilization patterns for mental health services for those with employer-sponsored insurance from 2018-2022. Over this five year period, we find that the rate of utilization has increased from 532 visits per 1,000 enrollees to 858 visits per 1,000 enrollees. In the same time period, the total spending and total out-of-pocket spending have seen an increase of about 74% and 30% respectively.

In 2018, the VA National Office of Emergency Medicine, in collaboration with the VA Office of Geriatrics & Extended Care, initiated a systemwide investment in Geriatric Emergency Departments (GEDs), implementing a specialized care framework tailored to older adults in the emergency department. Research indicates numerous benefits of GEDs, such as reduced admissions, shorter in-hospital stays, increased screenings for at-risk adults, and lower overall costs. VA has emerged as the largest Geriatric Emergency Department Accredited Health System, with 67 accredited GEDs, representing 61% of VA EDs nationally. This accomplishment underscores VA's commitment to provide enhanced care to Veterans.