Considerations Before Making a Referral to an Inpatient/Residential BH Treatment Program
Does the patient need inpatient/residential treatment, or could they be successful in an outpatient program?
People with bleeding disorders (BD) do not typically have difficulties accessing outpatient treatment, so you might consider a referral to a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), counseling, and/or medication management.
Is the patient stable enough from a BD perspective to live in a facility without medical oversight?
If not, the patient will need medical stabilization in a hospital-based setting.
If the patient requires inpatient or residential treatment, is there a (primary care provider or a non-bleeding disorder provider) who could make the initial referral?
Through interviews with hemophilia treatment center (HTC) providers who have had success and failure with referring patients to residential treatment, BD SUMHAC found that patients with BD have more success accessing residential treatment programs when a non-HTC provider makes the initial referral, and the HTC is available for support. When an HTC provider makes the initial referral, it highlights the patient’s bleeding disorder and may make it harder for the patient to access needed care.
On this website, the term “behavioral health” includes both mental health and substance use disorder.