EDITORIAL: Mental health beds need attention

Aug. 18--With the state's mental health patients already struggling to find the beds they need, a new study finds nearly one in five days patients occupy such beds could be avoidable.

The Minnesota Hospital Association study found at least 134 patients in inpatient community hospital psychiatric units on a daily basis would have been more appropriately treated in a different setting.

The study tracked patients admitted during 45 days this spring to inpatient psychiatric units at 20 participating hospitals and health systems throughout Minnesota, which included Mayo Clinic facilities in Rochester, Austin, Albert Lea and Mankato.

Minnesota's community hospitals have a total of 1,124 inpatient mental health beds statewide: 960 for adults and 164 for children and adolescents. Meanwhile the state offers 238 beds, including 16 for children and adolescents, which puts added stress on hospitals and health systems.

The recent study documented 32,520 total mental health bed days in the hospitals studied, but 19 percent of them were identified as potentially avoidable.

Unfortunately, it's not surprising. We've repeatedly heard about long waits for beds as patients sit in local emergency rooms waiting for inpatient treatment, either at state or private hospitals.

Until recently, such reports were limited; they only provided regionalized looks at the issue. The new study provides the first statewide data related to the growing problem that reaches across many lives, from those facing challenges of mental illness to family and friends who often feel helpless.

"Mental illnesses affect us all. Behind these numbers are patients and families who are not getting the care they need in the right place at the right time," said Dr. Rahul Koranne, Minnesota Hospital Association's chief medical officer.

Olmsted County staff has said bottlenecks in the system frequently happen when inpatient staff cannot find adequate resources for a patient, requiring a longer hospital stay. The recent study found 64 percent of potentially avoidable days occurred due to lack of space in a state-run mental health hospital, residential treatment center, nursing home, group home, chemical dependency treatment service or other setting.

"Bottlenecks exist throughout the mental health care delivery system, resulting in patients remaining in community hospitals for extended periods of time -- which in turn means that hospital beds are unavailable to others in the community experiencing mental health crises," Koranne said.

We've seen promise locally in new awareness of the problem and new programs designed to help those struggling with mental illness. Yet, we know more needs to be done. The issue needs to remain on the forefront of discussion at the local and state levels.

It is a statewide community issue. It will require hospitals and government agencies to work together to find solutions.

The unneeded days found in the study may be avoidable, but they will only be avoided with new opportunities.

Our View reflects opinions of the Post-Bulletin Editorial Board, which operates independently of the newspaper's reporting and editing staff.

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