Authors: Brenda Happell, Chris Platania-Phung, Rob Stanton
Year: 2015
Event: 2015 TheMHS Conference
Subject: Better Physical health
Type of resource: Conference Presentations and Papers
Abstract: People with mental illness experience poorer physical health and significant health care disparities, compared to the general population. Health services are well positioned to administer routine metabolic monitoring and standardised reporting templates have been developed for this purpose. However the implementation of routine metabolic monitoring remains ad-hoc [1] and the prevalence of cardiometabolic complications in this population continues to increase [2]. We conducted a retrospective file audit of electronic consumer files from a regional mental health service. Analysis showed that, of the 578 consumer files reviewed more than 60% (372 files) did not contain data using the standardised form. This is in spite of the implementation of a standardised reporting template. Inadequate training, lack of time and staff shortages may account for the low use of the electronic reporting template. Data may have been recorded elsewhere, however failure to use the easily accessible electronic form is likely to contribute to poor continuity of care and continued adverse metabolic health for people with mental illness. A range of strategies will be discussed to improve the poor reporting of cardiometabolic data.
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