3 in 5 → 4 in 5
Referrals who start care · Behavioral health practices
The referral that waited eleven days
Every referral should start care within days, and every session you hold should be paid.
A composite, built from behavioral health practices like yours. Not a named client.
- The problem, $65,000 a month, Sessions lost to referrals who quit
- The project, SBK rebuilds intake, approvals and billing so families start care in days and every session is covered.
- The outcome, 4 in 5, Referrals who start care
A school counselor faxes a referral on Monday morning. The intake packet goes out by mail on Thursday. The family calls back, gets voicemail and leaves a message. Eleven days after the referral, someone finally reaches them. They started with another practice last week.
Picture a group practice with 18 clinicians and about 120 referrals a month, more than it could see. Two in five referrals never started care. Approval from the insurer was chased after the first session, so some sessions were held and then denied. Clients dropped out with nobody checking in. Clinicians finished notes at night and spent eight hours a week on admin. One claim in five came back.
What SBK rebuilt
SBK mapped the path from referral to paid session. The biggest loss was at the very start. Families who gave up waiting for paperwork were worth about $65,000 a month in sessions. Referrals now get a reply the same day, and intake forms go out and come back online. Approval is requested at intake, before the first session. Reminders and short check-ins run between sessions. Each claim is checked before it leaves.
What moved
Four in five referrals started care, up from three in five. The wait from referral to first visit fell from eleven days to three. Sessions paid the first time rose from 80% to 96%. Clinicians got five hours a week back. The waitlist became booked hours.
| Measure | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Referrals who start care | 3 in 5 | 4 in 5 |
| Days from referral to visit | 11 | 3 |
| Sessions paid first time | 80% | 96% |
| Admin hours per clinician | 8 a week | 3 a week |
A problem like this one?
David from SBK replies within one working day.