Primary care physicians have a unique opportunity to detect suicide risk and connect patients with effective treatment. Over 83% of individuals who die from suicide have a healthcare visit in the year prior to their death, and 50% within the preceding 4 weeks. Competing demands during clinic visits, limited behavioral health resources, and lack of standard workflows can lead to lost opportunities for suicidality screening and assessment. In this session, we will share an approach to suicidality screening and assessment that is evidence-based, integrated into existing electronic health record workflows, and involves collaboration across disciplines. We will also review strategies for increasing behavioral health integration to support suicide prevention efforts within an academic health system.
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Curtain, S.C, Garnett, M.F., Ahmad, F.B. Vital Statistics Rapid Release, Report No. 34, Nov. 2023: Provisional Estimates of Suicide by Demographic Characteristics: United States, 2022. CDC National Center for Health Statistics