Patients with behavioral health problems who do not receive timely follow-up care after substance use emergency department (ED) visits are much more likely to be readmitted to the ED. Lack of timely follow-up can result in negative outcomes such as continued substance use, relapse, high utilization of intensive care services or even mortality.
The Follow-Up After Emergency Department Visit for Substance Use (FUA) HEDIS® measure is used to measure attendance to a qualified post-discharge appointment within 7 days of discharge for members ages 13 or older. A visit with a provider must have the principal diagnosis of substance use (FUA) on the follow-up visit claim. It is essential for patients to attend a follow-up visit within 7 days of discharge. The day of discharge also counts as a qualified follow-up visit. To count toward the FUA measure, the aftercare visit must occur between the day of discharge and day 7.
Qualified post-discharge appointments include:
To impact the HEDIS FUA measure and improve care delivery, be sure to:
Additionally, if you suspect one of your patients may be struggling with substance use or abuse, we recommend screening them prior to diagnosis. By screening patients, you can help identify those who may need additional care to recover.