Halden Zimmerman on Behavioral Health Treatment

(Newswire.net — October 11, 2016) Kent, OH –Behavioral health problems in the United States continue to grow at an alarming rate.  Healthcare researchers estimate that by 2020, behavioral health issues, which include mental health and substance abuse conditions, will cost as much as $280 billion. Healthcare providers are scrambling to find solutions to this growing problem, and data expert Halden Zimmerman believes that those solutions are within reach. Applying healthcare analytics to behavioral health issues can ultimately save operating costs while providing better treatment options for patients. “One of the critical ways of reducing costs is to identify health risks in the population and to implement preventive care plans,” says Halden. “The added benefit is that patients experience a better quality of care as a result.” To learn more about Halden and his background, visit: https://www.facebook.com/halden.zimmermann.  

Data analytics have been applied in other medical disciplines, such as for combatting mortality rates in patients with heart diseases and diabetes. The challenge in behavioral health analytics, however, centers on aggregating data that may include confidential or sensitive patient information; in addition, patient case histories and treatment records may not be as complete in other medical fields. Several technology firms have devised ways to get around these difficulties by developing risk-scoring algorithms to identify high-risk behavioral health patients with the data available in patient records databases. By identifying patients that are considered at a higher risk for health complications arising from behavioral health conditions, medical practitioners can target those individuals for treatment. “Predictive analytics is the key to getting care to the patients that need it most,” says Halden. “This data analytic model can even help get treatment to patients that have been under- or undiagnosed, improving delivery of care as well as heading off future healthcare costs.”

Through partnerships with medical research groups and laboratory testing companies, other novel ways of addressing the rising behavioral health rates have been developed. One such partnership is analyzing billions of lab test records to look for signs of early dementia in patients, which in turn can help increase the rates of diagnosis and treatment. Industry researchers have estimated that early intervention can save between $50,000 and $70,000 in costs per patient by delaying their admission into assisted living facilities and care centers. “The future of healthcare revolves around analyzing data,” adds Halden. “By doing so, medical providers can address patient trends before they develop into larger issues and help them to deliver appropriate care faster and more efficiently.” For more information on Halden Zimmermann, visit https://about.me/halden.zimmermann.