Health Information Technology: An Expanded Care Coordination in Rural Tennessee

Abstract

The Expanded Care Coordination through the Use of Health Information Technology in Rural Tennessee was a 3-year initiative implemented by The University of Tennessee Children's Mental Health Services Research Center and the Helen Ross McNabb Center Regional Mental Health System. The program targeted rural adults in the East Tennessee area. This intervention utilized the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST), and AC-COD screening tools. After the initial screening, the appropriate level of intervention was assessed. Clients completed modules on the program's website and met with a clinician for a minimum for four face-to-face meetings. Alcohol use and drug use declined significantly over the course of the program. Alcohol use and outpatient treatment for alcohol and substance abuse declined significantly over the course of the program. There were also significant decreases in days of probations, depression, physical complaints, and violent behaviors. Health information technology is becoming more common in mental health treatment facilities. However, more testing needs to be done with larger samples to assess the efficacy of the program.

Keywords: Health Information Technology; Technology; alcohol use; intervention; mental health; rural; substance abuse; treatment.