6 min read
Managing Behavioral Health Risks: Incident Management System Software
Performance Health Partners
October 14, 2024

Behavioral health risks are inherently present in healthcare settings, which are often unpredictable environments where both patients and staff encounter situations that can compromise safety. Effectively managing these safety risks is crucial to protect everyone in the care setting. A key tool in enhancing safety protocols is incident management system software. This technology supports real-time incident reporting and facilitates comprehensive analysis of incident data, both of which are essential for improving safety measures.
Common Behavioral Health Risks & Safety Incidents
Exploring the spectrum of behavioral health risks and safety incidents, we delve into the challenges posed by threats, workplace violence, suicide and self-harm, substance abuse, and elopement in healthcare settings.
Aggressive Behavior
Aggressive behavior in psychiatric settings encompasses a range of actions from verbal outbursts to physical violence towards others or self, significantly impacting the safety and operation of these healthcare environments.
This type of patient behavior is a significant concern in behavioral health settings, as highlighted by a “World Journal of Psychiatry” study reviewing its prevalence and correlates among psychiatric inpatients. The research indicates that aggression rates vary widely, from 8% to 44%, depending on the psychiatric disorder, with factors such as sex, age, and comorbidity playing pivotal roles in the risk of aggressive incidents.
Workplace Violence
Workplace violence is notably prevalent in behavioral health settings, where healthcare workers frequently face higher risks of aggression from patients.
The American Hospital Association reports that during the COVID-19 pandemic, 44% of nurses experienced physical violence and 68% experienced verbal abuse. These incidents are often fueled by the intense emotional states and psychiatric conditions of behavioral health patients, leading to unpredictable behaviors such as physical assaults or attempts to harm staff.
According to a “Trauma, Violence, & Abuse” meta-analysis of 47 observational studies, the overall prevalence of workplace violence against healthcare professionals was 62.4%, with verbal abuse accounting for the highest majority (61.2%), followed by psychological violence (50.8%), threats (39.5%), physical violence (13.7%), and sexual harassment (6.3%).
Workplace violence not only affects the physical well-being of healthcare workers but can also have long-lasting psychological impacts, contributing to high stress and burnout rates among healthcare workers.
Suicide & Self-Harm
Managing patients prone to suicide and self-harm is one of the most challenging aspects of behavioral health care. These individuals often require constant monitoring and interventions tailored to their specific emotional and psychological needs.
One study found that around 10 to 20% of adolescent in-patients will self-harm at least once during their stay in a psychiatric in-patient ward.
Substance Abuse
Substance abuse within behavioral health facilities presents unique safety incidents, including the misuse of prescribed medications or the introduction of illicit drugs into the facility. These incidents can exacerbate existing patient conditions, lead to overdoses, or result in heightened levels of aggression or instability, complicating treatment and safety measures in the facility.
Elopement
Patient elopement, or the unauthorized departure of a patient from a facility, is a significant behavioral health risk. Patients may attempt to leave the facility unsupervised, which poses severe safety risks given their potentially unstable health condition and the possibility of harm to themselves or others.
One organization without an implementation plan experienced 34 individual elopement cases lasting an average of 118 minutes each in just six months.
Preventing elopement requires comprehensive monitoring systems, secure facility design, and continuous staff training to manage such situations effectively.
The Role of Incident Management System Software in Behavioral Health
The prevention and management of workplace violence, patient elopement, self-harm, and other behavioral health risks are paramount. That’s where incident management software comes in.
This software not only facilitates the immediate reporting and tracking of incidents but also serves as a foundation for a proactive approach in handling the complex dynamics of behavioral health environments.
By integrating real-time data capture with analytical insights, these systems empower healthcare facilities to enhance safety protocols, make informed decisions, and foster a safer workplace for both patients and staff. Let’s explore the multifaceted roles of this technology in ensuring a secure and responsive healthcare setting.
Real-Time Reporting
Incident management system software is essential in mitigating behavioral health risks by enabling real-time documentation and reporting of incidents.
Healthcare workers can quickly and easily record and update details as events occur, thanks to user-friendly interfaces and streamlined processes. This ensures that the information remains accurate and current, significantly reducing the effort and time needed for documentation.
Instant notifications provide immediate visibility of events to all relevant personnel, streamlining data management on threats, violence, and other incidents and events. This efficiency is crucial in a fast-paced healthcare environment, enabling rapid responses and effective management of potentially escalating situations.
Data Collection and Analysis
Incident management software tools used in behavioral health facilities are integral for systematic data collection and analysis. By accumulating detailed incident reports over time, these systems can analyze data to identify trends, patterns, and risk factors associated with various types of incidents.
For instance, analyzing the frequency and conditions under which incidents of aggressive behavior occur can help administrators understand the underlying causes and contexts. This data-driven approach enables facilities to develop targeted strategies to mitigate behavioral health risks and ultimately improve patient and staff safety.
Preventive Action Planning
With insights gleaned from comprehensive data analysis, incident management system software is invaluable in formulating preventive measures. Facilities can use historical incident data to anticipate and mitigate future risks.
For example, if data indicates a high occurrence of elopement at specific times of the day or in particular settings, administrators can implement more stringent monitoring protocols or physical safeguards during those times. By proactively addressing potential safety issues, facilities can reduce the occurrence of incidents and improve overall safety for patients and staff.
Communication and Coordination
During a crisis, effective communication and coordination among staff are critical, and incident management software significantly enhances these capabilities. The software provides platforms for staff to communicate swiftly and efficiently, ensuring that everyone involved is informed and aligned with the response strategy.
It facilitates the coordination of tasks, delegation of responsibilities, and dissemination of critical information, all of which are essential for managing a crisis effectively. By improving communication flows, the software helps create a cohesive response team that can work together to manage and resolve incidents promptly.
The Importance of Near Misses in Behavioral Health Settings
A near miss is an event that could have led to harm but was averted before any damage occurred. In behavioral health settings, near misses might involve situations where a patient nearly fell or was close to accessing harmful substances.
Near misses occur up to 100 times more frequently than adverse events, presenting exceptional opportunities for learning and improvement.
Reporting these incidents is vital for enhancing safety as it provides insights into potential vulnerabilities within the system, all without the consequences of actual harm. This proactive approach is crucial for effectively identifying and mitigating safety risks.
Incident management system software is instrumental in capturing and analyzing near miss incidents. By systematically recording each near miss, the software helps healthcare facilities to build a comprehensive data set that can be used to understand when, where, and how these incidents occur.
This capability allows organizations to move from a reactive to a proactive stance in risk management. For example, if the software identifies a trend of near misses involving patient elopement, the facility could introduce specialized training programs or enhance security measures to proactively prevent such incidents in the future. Learning from near misses through systematic tracking and analysis can significantly enhance patient safety and operational efficiency.
Regular near miss reporting fosters a culture that prioritizes safety and continuous improvement. When staff members are encouraged to report near misses, it reinforces the importance of vigilance and responsibility for safety across all levels of the organization. This cultural shift not only promotes a more open and communicative environment but also empowers employees to take an active role in safeguarding their workplace.
Over time, this practice builds a robust safety culture where preventing incidents is seen as part of everyone’s job, not just a responsibility of the safety officers or upper management.
A survey of nurses found that the likelihood of non-reporting was reduced by 31% in high safety culture conditions.
Regular feedback and updates about the outcomes of reported near misses can further reinforce this culture, as staff see tangible improvements and learn from each incident.
Case Studies and Examples
I Am Boundless
I Am Boundless is a family of nonprofit organizations specializing in person-centered care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and behavioral health challenges.
After an expansion through mergers, the organization faced significant challenges with fragments patient and employee safety data. With each facility adopting its own incident management system, I Am Boundless was unable to analyze and respond to incidents efficiently. Their system was also cumbersome and hard to navigate, leading to underreporting of critical incidents.
After making the switch to Performance Health Partners’ incident management system software, I A Boundless was able to effectively manage and respond to all event types including abuse, neglect, threats, medication errors, and staff injuries within just three days. The standardization of the software eliminated underreporting and allowed for targeted interventions at the roots of problems.
North Olympic Healthcare Network
North Olympic Healthcare Network (NOHN), a federally qualified heath center (FQHC), serves as an important healthcare resource for its rural community in Washington. However, the organization was burdened with an incident reporting system that was too complex, difficult to use, and did not address the unique needs of their operations. Resolving incidents used to be complicated and timely, taking up to three weeks to accomplish with 30 hours a month spent on administrative tasks related to incident management.
Upon adopting Performance Health Partners’ incident management system software, NOHN’s incident resolution time was reduced to under a week.
The increase in free time allowed NOHN to focus on patient details and analysis, leading to a 100% reduction in behavior agreements.
Mitigating behavioral health risks allowed the organization to alleviate provider stress and ensure compassionate patient care.
Final Thoughts
Managing behavioral health risks is increasingly imperative for ensuring the safety and well-being of both patients and staff. Incident management system software stands out as a critical tool in this endeavor, providing a comprehensive approach to handling the dynamic and often unpredictable nature of behavioral health settings.
By facilitating real-time reporting, robust data analysis, and proactive preventive strategies, this technology empowers facilities to not only respond swiftly to immediate threats but also to anticipate and mitigate future risks.
As we continue to face challenges in behavioral health care, leveraging advanced incident management solutions will be key to fostering safer environments and promoting a culture of continuous improvement and safety.
Ready to Get Started?
Connect with our team to learn how Performance Health Partners’ incident management system can help your organization reduce behavioral health risks and improve patient and employee safety. Request a demo here.