Suicide is one of the most serious public health problems facing the United States. Recent evidence indicates that many if not most of individuals who commit suicide have been in contact with the healthcare system in the months prior to their death. In response, the 2012 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention calls for promotion of ?zero suicides? as an aspirational goal for transforming healthcare systems. The Zero Suicide initiative aims to address gaps in the healthcare system that interfere with the identification and management of patients at risk of suicide. The proposed project will develop an innovative method for identifying patients at risk of suicide by capitalizing on the Connecticut All Payer Claims Database, the largest repository of health information in the state, EHR data from 5 clinical partners, and mortality data collected by the state. Our analytic approach will use multimodal data fusion techniques to predict suicide risk by incorporating data from very disparate data sources. By uploading de-identified data on patient demographics, diagnoses, procedure(s), screening assessments, and clinical notes, our 5 clinical partners, who collectively treat approximately 300,000 patients annually, will be able to obtain timely data on a particular patient?s risk of suicidal behavior. Finally, we will assess the impact of these initiatives in improving behavioral health care and reducing suicidal behavior in at risk patients by drawing on claims data from the CT APCD coupled with mortality data from the CT Department of Public Health and the Office of the Connecticut Medical Examiner. Our clinical partners will review data on behavioral health treatment and suicidal behavior among their patients on a quarterly basis to promote continuous quality improvement. The potential public health significance of this study is substantial. The fragmentation of the healthcare system, particularly in relation to patients? behavioral health needs, highlights the critical need to cultivate comprehensive, system-wide approaches to identifying and managing at patients at risk of suicide. !
Suicide is one of the most serious public health problems facing the United States. The proposed project will demonstrate an innovative method for identifying patients at risk of suicidal behavior and will provide assistance to healthcare organizations in recognizing and managing at risk patients.
