When Tracey Wrench spent her career in behavioral health, there was one thing that always kept her up at night: patient outcomes. However, what truly weighed on her was the often-unspoken issue that directly impacted both patients and staff—the connection between acuity and staffing challenges. Behavioral Health Staffing Solutions address this critical issue, which, though not always immediately visible, has far-reaching consequences for the care delivered, the well-being of healthcare staff, and ultimately, patient safety.
Acuity and Staffing Challenges in Behavioral Health
Acuity refers to the complexity and severity of a patient’s condition, particularly in inpatient behavioral health settings where patients often arrive in critical condition. For Wrench, the challenge was clear: “There are real challenges in terms of the complexity of patients, their presentations, and the pressure on behavioral health beds,” she said. These patients frequently come to inpatient units with heightened acuity, requiring more intensive care and attention. This is where Behavioral Health Staffing Solutions can make a significant impact, ensuring that facilities are equipped with the expertise and resources needed to manage complex cases. By the time patients are admitted, they may already be experiencing heightened stress, confusion, and agitation, adding to the difficulty of providing effective care.
But it wasn’t just the patients feeling the weight of this growing acuity. Wrench, who retired in 2022 after 14 years in behavioral health, primarily as Executive Director of Nursing and Quality in various NHS trusts in the United Kingdom, says that the staff working in these high-pressure environments also felt the strain. The combination of complex patient needs, staff shortages, and the emotional toll of working in such an intensive environment made for a very stressful setting for everyone involved. “I think it’s a very stressful environment for both patients and staff,” Wrench says.
As staffing pressures mounted, behavioral health providers had to contend not only with high acuity levels but also with the inherent limitations of their workforce. The increasing demand for mental health care, combined with the burnout of health professionals, created a perfect storm of challenges. But Wrench, known for her innovative approach to these issues, sought out solutions to ease this burden and improve both staff and patient experiences.
The Role of Technology in Addressing Acuity and Staffing Issues
In response to these challenges, Wrench and others in the behavioral health field began exploring innovative ways to address the growing acuity and staffing issues. As the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated pre-existing staffing shortages, many operators found themselves scrambling to retain staff and prevent further burnout. At the same time, patients’ mental health needs were intensifying, and the access-to-care gap continued to widen.
This ever-changing staffing landscape led Wrench to search for creative ways to use Behavioral Health Staffing Solutions to bolster the workforce and improve patient care. It was clear that the traditional methods of patient observation—one-on-one interactions and constant monitoring—could not sustain the increased demand. Providers needed a solution that could help monitor patients remotely, giving staff more time to focus on direct care and reducing the stress caused by overwhelming workloads.
Wrench found the answer in Oxevision, a revolutionary remote patient monitoring system developed by Oxehealth. Oxevision uses cutting-edge technology to track patients’ movements, vital signs, and overall well-being in real-time, all while ensuring patient privacy and security. This system was designed with behavioral health providers in mind, offering easy-to-use tools that could fit seamlessly into an already busy and strained workflow. “As soon as you start to use Oxevision, the benefits to staff and patients are immediate. It becomes critically important,” says Wrench.
The key to Oxevision’s success lies in its ability to deliver data-rich, real-time insights that enable staff to respond to patient needs quickly. By tracking a patient’s physical movements and monitoring other vital signs, the system provides a continuous stream of actionable data, helping clinical teams make informed decisions without needing to rely on constant one-on-one observations. In turn, this reduces the amount of time staff spends on manual monitoring, allowing them to dedicate more time to meaningful interactions with patients. This, Wrench argues, is exactly the kind of Behavioral Health Staffing Solution the behavioral health field needs to address the dual challenges of staffing shortages and high acuity levels.
The Transformational Impact of Oxevision on Behavioral Health Providers
Oxevision has already proven to be a game-changer for many behavioral health providers. The technology not only enhances patient safety but also brings substantial operational and financial benefits to the table. Wrench emphasizes that these benefits extend beyond the obvious improvements in safety and efficiency to include broader operational impacts.
Here are the key areas where Oxevision has made a difference:
- Improved Efficiency: Oxevision significantly streamlines patient monitoring processes, making it easier for staff to keep track of multiple patients at once without the need for constant, in-person observations. The time savings allow staff to spend more time engaging with patients directly, improving the quality of care delivered.
- Better Risk Management: By reducing the need for enhanced one-on-one observations, Oxevision allows staff to better manage patient risk. Staff can still monitor patients remotely, making it easier to spot any early signs of distress or deterioration in a patient’s condition.
- Increased Time for Direct Care: The time saved by reducing the need for constant patient monitoring directly translates into more time available for staff to interact with patients and provide high-quality care. This is particularly important in behavioral health settings, where personalized care is a crucial part of the recovery process.
- Cashable Savings: As Wrench points out, one of the most significant benefits of Oxevision is the clear return on investment. By reducing the number of incidents that lead to transfers to acute hospitals and improving overall patient safety, the system helps providers save money on emergency interventions and hospital transfers.
- Improved Staff Productivity and Well-being: When staff have the tools they need to do their jobs more effectively, they feel more empowered and less stressed. Oxevision helps reduce burnout by providing reassurance and support to staff during high-stress situations. Wrench notes that “When you’re on a night shift and things are very stressful, you appreciate the reassurance the system can give your team. I don’t think you can put a cost on that.”
Wrench’s firsthand experience with Oxevision has been overwhelmingly positive. The system provided her clinical teams with clear, actionable data that allowed them to make better decisions, improve patient care, and reduce the stress associated with managing high-acuity patients. The system’s ease of use also meant that staff quickly saw results without being overwhelmed by complex data.
Overcoming Challenges and Moving Forward with Oxevision
Despite the benefits of Oxevision, Wrench acknowledges that adopting new technologies in behavioral health can be challenging. Providers must address organizational change, gain executive buy-in, and foster a culture that is open to technological solutions. However, Wrench points out that the implementation of Oxevision doesn’t have to be a difficult or disruptive process. “My advice is to make sure you’ve got the whole executive team on board, and that this is actually part of your overall organizational strategy,” she advises. “You’ve got to make sure that you’re focusing on cultural change. We found that really, really helpful.”
The integration of Oxevision into an organization’s broader strategy is key to ensuring its success. It’s not just about adopting new technology—it’s about creating a culture that values patient safety, staff well-being, and data-driven care. By positioning Oxevision as part of an overall approach to improving care delivery and addressing staffing challenges, providers can ensure that they are meeting both short-term and long-term needs.
The Future of Behavioral Health: Leveraging Technology for Better Care
As behavioral health challenges continue to grow and evolve, providers will need to find innovative solutions to meet the increasing demand for services. Remote monitoring technologies like Oxevision are crucial in meeting these challenges head-on. They not only improve safety and efficiency but also provide staff with the support they need to perform at their best.
Wrench’s experience in the field has given her a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities in behavioral health. She believes that Oxevision represents a turning point in the way care is delivered in these settings. By embracing technology, providers can tackle staffing shortages, high acuity, and patient safety concerns, all while improving the overall quality of care.
As we look toward the future of behavioral health, the question isn’t whether providers can afford to implement technology like Oxevision—it’s whether they can afford not to. With rising patient demand, increasing acuity, and a strained workforce, the time for innovative Behavioral Health Staffing Solutions is now. Oxevision is a critical part of the solution, and Wrench’s experience shows that embracing it could be the key to delivering safer, more efficient, and higher-quality behavioral health care.
