The hand-off: A hands-on approach to client transfers

One area in the treatment continuum that often proves to be problematic is the system by which a client is transferred between levels of care: the “handoff”. Any number of things that may go wrong during the handoff can be disruptive to the client's treatment and can contribute to dropouts. In this sense, the handoff process is part of the NIATx aim of increasing continuation.

What happens when a person first calls your agency for help? Does a live person answer the phone, or is the caller directed through an endless cycle of automated prompts? The caller might talk first to a receptionist, who then might hand off the call to somebody else, who then might invite the caller to leave a voicemail message. How many different people does a client meet with during a first intake appointment? How many forms does the client have to complete during the appointment - forms that request the same information multiple times? Every transition from one level of care to the next in addiction treatment is a handoff that presents a potential interruption or even an end to the client's recovery journey.

Think about a system outside the treatment field where handoffs are smooth and efficient. Maybe it's the pit crew of a champion in a NASCAR race or the passing of a baton between Olympic relay racers. What makes them so good? How can you learn what makes them so good and use those ideas in client care transitions?

NIATx has several resources to help you with handoffs. Check out the Increasing Continuation Between Levels of Care promising practices on the NIATx web site. And make sure to read the article “Don’t Fumble the Treatment Handoff” in Addiction Professional magazine.

ACTION Campaign "Share Your Story" Contest

We want to hear from you!

Tell us your agency's story about implementing a NIATx promising practice and you could win one of five all expense paid trips to this year's Summit.

Send us your story, either written or a short video, and you'll be entered into the prize drawing

For more information and instructions on how to write a story, visit the Share Your Story contest page.

ACTION Campaign Webinar: Increasing Collections from Insurance Companies

Join us tomorrow, February 18 at 11:00 am CST for a FREE ACTION Campaign II webinar. John Greenawalt from TERROS in Phoenix, Arizona and Wendy Danicourt from Operation PAR, Pinellas Park, Florida, will discuss their real world solutions to increasing collections from insurance providers.

Also, make sure to download February's promising practices. Promising practices let us learn from others and provide inspiration as we implement our own change projects. We encourage you to try them out in your agency.

February's promising practices focus on tapping into referral sources and increasing collections from insurance companies.

ACTION Campaign II Promising Practices

Each month the ACTION Campaign II highlights a promising
practice or two from the NIATx Provider Toolkit. With a focus
on building financial strength in a changing world, our
January and February Promising Practices give you strategies for developing relationships with your referral agencies. Hear how one organization became a preferred provider on the next ACTION Campaign II Webinar, February 9, 2010, 11:00 a.m. Central.

Promising Practices for Reducing No-shows

Are you planning on participating in this week's ACTION II beginner webinar that focuses on reducing no-shows to the first appointment?

The NIATx provider toolkit includes a number of promising practices for reducing no-shows to the first appointment, complete with tracking tools and examples from the field.