Jump to content

  • Set Your Location
  • Sign in or Enroll
Set Your LocationEden Medical Center
  • Sign in or Enroll
    • Open I want to choose my medical group or hospital
    • Clear my location
Change Location
Sutter Health
  • Video Visits
  • Find Doctors
  • Find Locations
  • Treatments & Services
    • Video Visits
    • Find Doctors
    • Find Locations
    • Treatments & Services
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Symptom Checker
    • Get Care Today
    • Health & Wellness
    • Classes & Events
    • Research & Clinical Trials
    • For Patients
    • About Sutter Health
    • Giving
    • Volunteering
    • Careers
    • News
    • For Medical Professionals
    • Other Business Services
Close Search
  • Home
  • Eden
  • Research
  • Disease Management
Content

Primary care nurse practitioner management of adolescent behavioral health.

Description

Dillon EC, Erlich KJ, Li J, Li M, Becker DF., Am J Manag Care. 2020 Sep 1;26(9):e295-e299. doi: 10.37765/ajmc.2020.88495., 2020 Sep 01

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the personnel costs and revenue generated by embedding a behavioral health nurse practitioner (BHNP) in primary care clinics to evaluate and manage adolescent behavioral health needs.

Study design: We estimated personnel costs and revenue from a quality improvement project undertaken at 4 clinic sites between August 1, 2016, and July 31, 2018, at a large multispecialty medical group in northern California.

Methods: Costs were estimated by identifying the actual hours spent by the BHNP and for medical assistant (MA) support and using Bureau of Labor Statistics national data on wages and benefits. Revenue was estimated by analyzing Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes for BHNP visits from the Epic electronic health record and corresponding relative value units (RVUs), based on 135% of 2018 nationally unadjusted Medicare rates.

Results: We estimate 2-year revenue of $144,449 and personnel costs (salary + benefits) of $90,431. The BHNP work totaled 1083 hours, and MA support totaled 312 hours. Using a nurse practitioner wage of $53.70/hour and an MA wage of $16.95/hour, total salary costs were $63,451; we then added benefits costs. Using the CPT codes assigned to the 768 encounters with 207 unique patients, we estimated generation of 1640 RVUs and total revenue of $144,449.

Conclusions: This analysis found that personnel costs ($90,514) of a primary care-embedded BHNP are 63% of the potential revenue generated ($144,449). This analysis suggests that a primary care BHNP could be a cost-saving and patient-centered way to reduce the burden on primary care providers while meeting the growing needs of adolescents with behavioral health needs.

Pubmed Abstract

Pubmed AbstractOpens New Window

Associated Topics

  • Child and Adolescent Health
  • Disease Management
  • Medical Informatics
  • Mental Health

Related Publications

"Many miles to go …": a systematic review of the implementation of patient decision support interventions into routine clinical practice.

Elwyn G, Scholl I, Tietbohl C, Mann M, Edwards AG, Clay C, Légaré F, van der Weijden T, Lewis CL, Wexler RM, Frosch DL.
BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 13(suppl 2):S14. doi: 10.1186/1472-6947-13-S2-S14. Epub 2013 Nov 29.
2013 Jan 01

Communicating with physicians about medical decisions: a reluctance to disagree.

Adams JR, Elwyn G, Légaré F, Frosch DL.
Arch Intern Med. 2012 Aug 13;172(15):1184-6. doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2012.2360.
2012 Aug 13

Authoritarian physicians and patients' fear of being labeled 'difficult' among key obstacles to shared decision making.

Frosch DL, May SG, Rendle KA, Tietbohl C, Elwyn G.
Health Aff (Millwood). 31(5):1030-8. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0576.
2012 May 01

Conducting implementation research in community-based primary care: a qualitative study on integrating patient decision support interventions for cancer screening into routine practice.

Frosch DL, Singer KJ, Timmermans S.
Health Expect. 14 suppl 1:73-84. doi: 10.1111/j.1369-7625.2009.00579.x.
2011 Mar 01

Internet patient decision support: a randomized controlled trial comparing alternative approaches for men considering prostate cancer screening.

Frosch DL, Bhatnagar V, Tally S, Hamori CJ, Kaplan RM.
Arch Intern Med. 168(4):363-9. doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2007.111.
2008 Feb 25
The Sutter Health Network of Care
Expertise to fit your needs
Primary Care

Check-ups, screenings and sick visits for adults and children.

Specialty Care

Expertise and advanced technologies in all areas of medicine.

Emergency Care

For serious accidents, injuries and conditions that require immediate medical care.

Urgent Care

After-hours, weekend and holiday services.

Walk-In Care

Convenient walk-in care clinics for your non-urgent health needs.

  • Contact Us
  • Find Doctors
  • Find Locations
  • Request Medical Records
  • Make a Gift
Sign in to My Health Online

Billing and Insurance

  • Pay a Bill
  • Accepted Health Plans
  • Estimate Costs
  • Medicare Advantage

About Sutter

  • About Our Network
  • Community Benefit
  • Annual Report
  • News

Our Team

  • For Employees
  • For Medical Professionals
  • For Vendors
  • For Volunteers

Careers

  • Jobs at Sutter
  • Physician Jobs
  • Graduate Medical Education

Copyright © 2023 Sutter Health. All rights reserved. Sutter Health is a registered trademark of Sutter Health ®, Reg. U.S. Patent & Trademark office.

  • ADA Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • LinkedIn Opens new window
  • YouTube Opens new window
  • Facebook Opens new window
  • Twitter Opens new window
  • Instagram Opens new window
  • Glassdoor Opens new window

Cookie Policy

We use cookies to give you the best possible user experience. By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences

Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences