LET'S talk solutions

When a system is broken, massive, and complicated, where do you even start trying to fix it?

It’s so complex and overwhelming, it’s like you’re paralyzed.

Here’s one possibility: We know there’s a shortage of providers, and we’re not going to fix that right away. But we could do a better job of connecting prospective patients to who is available.

Right now, there’s no centralized place you can call to find out who’s taking new patients, who takes your insurance, and when you can get an appointment.

There's a smattering of these resources, but you have to find them yourself. Not everyone advertises on Psychology Today, and some people don’t even know it exists.

If you’re so depressed you can hardly get out of bed, how realistic is it to expect you to search the internet, call 10 phone numbers, find out who takes your insurance, and leave umpteen messages?

It’s not at all realistic. You might give up after the third call and decide it’s hopeless.

There should be one phone number where you can call, explain what you need, and be connected to a provider.

It could start small, as a pilot program in one city.

Here’s how it might work:

The organization running the referral center sends an email to every licensed mental health provider in the city and surrounding towns.

The email asks the following: Are you accepting new patients? What insurance do you take? Can you see a patient within one week? Within 48 hours? Do you offer telemedicine (for patients with transportation issues)? 

Based on that information, the referral center creates a database of area providers by insurance, availability, and telehealth.

When someone calls the referral line, an email is sent to the providers that meet the need. Based on the response, the contact number of a provider is offered to the caller.

It would require the cooperation of providers. Perhaps there could be an incentive for participating in this referral system.

It would also require regular updates. But we know, at any given time, providers have patients come and go. Every private practice isn’t filled all of the time. We just don’t know which ones they are and where they are.

Here’s another thought: Even if the idea failed in that no one was available, we’d know what we had in each community and where the holes were in service.

We’d also know some other things: Of our licensed providers in Connecticut, how many take no insurance? How large of a percentage is this?

Are there certain insurance companies that providers refuse to work with while they are willing to work with others?  Are there specific parts of the state where it is more difficult for Husky patients to obtain help? Where is the disconnect between supply and demand in terms of specifics?

We wouldn’t know if a referral system would work unless we tried it. But it would be a start.