Page 11 - 2016 Nursing Annual Report | Summa Health
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“As a nurse, it’s just so rewarding to see
them get their feet under them and
their confidence back. I always tell
them they’re warriors, they roll their
sleeves up, they’re fearless. They help
each other.”
“Patients were receiving care in a locked, 24 hour “We’ve had patients who are pretty reticent about going
supervised environment, and then we were discharging into the program, and by the end of even three sessions
them into a program where they were seen three times a they’re in tears telling us this is the best thing they could
week or less,” explained Jaimie McKinnon, MBA, BA, BSN, have done,” said Bingham.
RN, NE-BC, Vice President, Summa Health Behavioral
Institute. “You may get discharged on a Monday and not Bingham said they can have up to 10 patients at a time in
start outpatient treatment until Wednesday, so there is the program and if it’s more than that they will develop
no clinician interaction for several days after an acute two tracks.
episode. It made sense that we needed this next level of
care.” McKinnon pointed out Bingham’s extraordinary skill in
engaging people and showing them the benefit of group
In August 2016, the Behavioral Health Institute launched therapy.
the Summa Health Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP),
a short-term, intensive, outpatient clinical treatment “Many people don’t want to go into group therapy
program for patients with a wide range of mental health and share in that setting, so we started an orientation
conditions. PHP provides a structured, therapeutic setting where she meets with people beforehand to get that
to help prevent self-harm, reduce acute symptomatic engagement going. Once you get them into group
exacerbation, restore baseline functioning, and increase therapy, many are willing to stay and realize its value.”
recovery skills.
“I just believe in this program so wholeheartedly,” said
“Partial hospitalization allows us to return the patient to Bingham. “As a nurse, it’s just so rewarding to see them
their home environment sooner as well. Out of concern get their feet under them and their confidence back. I
for the safety of their patients, physicians are reluctant to always tell them they’re warriors, they roll their sleeves up,
discharge a patient into just a standard outpatient setting,” they’re fearless. They help each other.”
said McKinnon. “The Partial Hospitalization Program
provides physicians with another option that benefits their Surprisingly, some of the patients are coming to the
patients by reducing inpatient stays.” program thanks to word of mouth.
The program utilizes multiple mental health interventions “One woman talked so highly of the program she
through individual and group therapy that address convinced a co-worker to come in and get treatment and
the individualized mental health needs of the client. right now we have a dad who saw his son go through the
The PHP consists of 4-6 hours of intensive, structured program and have great success, so he decided it was
outpatient psychiatric services daily, Monday-Friday. A something he needed to do as well. It’s really helping the
multidisciplinary team of physicians, clinical counselors program grow,” said Bingham.
and nurses staff it. Most patients attend between 5-10
sessions. McKinnon said they are looking to expand the program to
include addiction medicine.
Martha Bingham, BSN, RN, oversees much of the daily
operations of the PHP. Once the patient is referred to the
program, she looks at their medications to make sure
they’re being taken correctly and that there are no serious
side effects, she talks to them about their diet and sleep
habits, and makes sure they are scheduling and attending
their counseling appointments. But, the focus of her day is
group therapy sessions where she works with the patients
on self-care methods ranging from meditation to Tai Chi.
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