MIRCI announces $6.8 million dollars savings in reduced cost to state agencies and local hospital networks in the Midlands
August 6, 2020
MIRCI—Mental Illness Recovery Center Inc., announces $6.8 million savings to local hospitals and state agencies as reported by the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office (RFA) for 2019.
The RFA compiles data, such as; inpatient hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and health and human service state agency services (Department of Social Services, Department of Mental Health and criminal justice incidents), that provides program administrators a method of measuring outcomes of their services. For MIRCI, that data includes a series of inpatient, emergency department, and psychiatric hospitalizations.
“We work very hard to ensure our clients have access to the best treatment and care possible,” said Julie Ann Avin, Executive Director, “To provide them with such a high level of care, we must also keep metrics, monitor our results, and identify our community impact. We are thrilled to be able to help our clients, and reduce costs for the state and local hospitals at the same time.”
The findings also include comparison data that monitors the effects of MIRCI’s behavioral healthcare services before and after enrollment. In 2019, hospitalization linked to mental illness dropped by 75%, physical illness and accidents dropped 13%, and intense inpatient hospitalizations dropped 37%. As a result of the decrease in the number of hospitalizations and length of stays, inpatient charges dropped $4,211,231 (62%). In relation to emergency department visits linked to mental illness, the report cites a 49% decrease once clients enrolled in MIRCI services.
According to the report, “Considering all hospital services combined (inpatient general, inpatient specialty and emergency department visits), total charges for services in the year following MIRCI enrollment were $6.8 million less than charges for services in the year prior to MIRCI enrollment.”
Results of the report are longitudinal and spans clients enrolled over a 22 year period. Healthcare charges are adjusted to 2019 dollars using the GDP for the latest year available.
MIRCI – the Mental Illness Recovery Center, Inc. (www.mirci.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit full-service behavioral healthcare organization celebrating 60 years serving the Midlands, whose mission is to create pathways to recovery for individuals who are experiencing or at risk of mental illness and/or homelessness.
