ST. LOUIS - Mercy was selected by Becker’s Hospital Review for its “hospitals and health systems with great psychiatry and behavioral health programs” list, one of only 60 organizations to be honored.
Becker’s said hospitals and health systems featured on the list are recognized for their unwavering commitment to improve mental and behavioral health. Through thoughtfully designed programs and services, those on the list aim to enhance quality of life and provide comprehensive support for patients’ emotional and psychiatric wellbeing.
Millions of people in the U.S. are affected by mental illness each year. To better serve patients, Mercy incorporates behavioral health services for various specialties through its Collaborative Care program, a program that supports primary care physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of various mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.
The primary care provider, who already has the established relationship with their patient, manages the treatment, with the support of the behavioral health care team working virtually alongside them.
In addition to mental health support through primary care, Mercy offers several programs and treatment options for patients in other settings.
Substance use during pregnancy has devastating effects on the health of both mothers and their children during and after pregnancy. To address these challenges, Mercy has introduced a new program, BRAVE (Building Recovery, Advocacy, Validation and Empowerment), as part of its Perinatal Substance Use Clinic. In addition, an intensive outpatient program for new moms experiencing severe post-partum depression.
A long-acting injectables (LAI) clinic helps Mercy patients with severe mental illnesses including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder remain healthy with monthly follow up for intramuscular dosing, which helps prevent relapse of symptoms and avoid having to remember daily oral medications
Mercy also offers electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), a psychiatric treatment that involves inducing a brief seizure by passing electrical currents through the brain under anesthesia. It's commonly used to treat severe depression, mania and other severe mental health conditions when other treatments haven't been effective.
For patients in communities that do not have access to in-person care, Mercy's virtual behavioral health team is available, whether in an emergency room or hospital setting, they can provide treatment, disposition and triaging to the right level of care more quickly.
Becker’s is proud to showcase these outstanding programs, which not only focus on restoring emotional balance but also advance research and innovation in the field. This list was compiled through a combination of editorial research and nominations.
The full list features individual profiles of all hospitals and health systems on the list, and can be read here.
