Treating individuals with suicidal ideation in primary care: Patient‐level characteristics associated with follow‐up in the Collaborative Care Model

Abstract

AbstractIntroductionThe Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) is an evidence‐based approach which embeds behavioral health providers (BHPs) into primary care. Whether patients with suicidal ideation (SI) are willing to engage in CoCM is unclear.MethodsUsing Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 (PHQ‐9) administrative data from primary care practices within an urban academic health system, we identified patients with and without SI who were referred to a CoCM BHP. We compared engagement, defined as attendance at ≥1 CoCM visit, across groups.ResultsBetween 2018 and 2022, 7391 primary care patients were referred to a CoCM BHP. Eight hundred and ninety‐two of these patients reported SI on the PHQ‐9 (754 on “several days” during the previous 2 weeks and 138 on “more than half or most days”). Across groups, most patients engaged in CoCM. Patients reporting SI on several days engaged at a lower rate (61.4%) than those reporting SI on more than half or most days (65.9%). Both SI groups engaged at a lower rate than the 6499 patients who did not report SI (67.5%).ConclusionMost patients referred to a CoCM BHP engaged in ≥1 visit. Rates were lower for patients with SI, with the lowest rate among those reporting SI on several days.