Meridian Advanced Psychiatry (MAP) has strived to provide specialized medical services in Idaho, in particular, addressing the increasing demand for ADHD diagnosis and management.
Recognizing a growing need for comprehensive ADHD services supported by effective diagnostic tools, Chief Executive Officer Kyle Ronnau and Chief Business Development Officer Kevin Hulsey set out to improve the clinic’s capabilities.
The challenge:
Ensuring quality ADHD care across sites
ADHD diagnosis often relies heavily on subjective measures like patient self-reports and questionnaires. However, inconsistencies in information between sources and patient bias can lead to inaccuracies in diagnosis and treatment plans.
The primary challenge across MAP clinics was the limitations of the ADHD diagnostic tool they were considering using at the time, which fell short in offering comprehensive insights into patient symptoms. It only provided binary ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers without any clinical context, which stopped clinicians from interpreting and understanding their patients’ conditions thoroughly.
With many patients attributing a lot of their issues to ADHD before a formal diagnosis, it’s becoming increasingly important for clinicians to have unbiased data on their patients’ performance.
Kyle commented how patients come up with a conclusion that they have ADHD, and then their brain fills in the gap.
“When you ask questions, like on an ASRS, their brains are quickly saying ‘if I say yes, it’s supportive of any ADHD diagnosis, if I say no, it’s not’. Then they believe it, so I don’t think you’re getting honest answers out of them, but not on purpose.”
- Kyle Ronnau, on patient interactions
Kyle noticed the amount of time his clinicians spent sifting through patients’ lived experiences to assess their condition, prompting the search for a better solution which gave clinicians confidence in their clinical decision making – Qbtesting.
The solution:
Integrating QbTest across Meridian Advanced Psychiatry clinics
MAP adopted a digital ADHD test to objectively measure attention, impulsivity, and activity levels in patients to get a deeper understanding of symptoms beyond the simple binary results that alternative tools offered. The clinic also had the goal of reducing wait times and increasing the diagnostic confidence of clinicians through the incorporation of objective ADHD testing technology.
Integrating the objective test into MAP’s diagnostic process involved several steps:
1. Training and familiarization: Clinicians went through comprehensive training to understand the functionality of Qbtech’s ADHD test and how to interpret results.
2. Process integration: The digital ADHD tool was seamlessly integrated into the clinic’s diagnostic workflow across different sites, making sure that it bolstered existing practices and improved the overall diagnostic accuracy.
3. Continuous evaluation: The clinic continuously monitored the effectiveness of the newly introduced objective ADHD test, gathering feedback from clinicians and patients.
The outcome:
Efficient ADHD pathways across multiple sites
Adopting Qbtesting into MAP’s clinics resulted in a marked improvement in its ability to diagnose and manage ADHD. The tool’s comprehensive data has benefitted both clinicians and patients in several ways.
Data from objective ADHD testing helps clinicians to make informed diagnostic decisions
Objective results that support clinical interviews provide a deeper understanding of each patient’s condition, leading to more accurate diagnoses. Studies have shown that adding an objective test to the ADHD care pathway can increase clinician confidence in making a diagnosis or ruling out ADHD. Within MAP, the newly adopted objective test has reduced the reliance on potentially biased patient self-reports.
Currently, MAP doesn’t diagnose or treat patients for ADHD without carrying out the objective test to corroborate their clinical decisions.
Kyle said: “At Meridian Advanced Psychiatry, it’s our usual practice for all patients to undergo Qbtest[ing] as part of their comprehensive ADHD treatment plan.”
Developing a consistent approach to ADHD care across multi-site clinics
By integrating the digital ADHD test across all MAP clinics, the organization has standardized its ADHD diagnostic process.
This consistency ensures that all patients receive the same high level of care regardless of which clinic they visit and demonstrates the impact that clinicians’ interventions have on symptom change and improvement.
Objective testing has facilitated further expansion, with more clinics joining MAP and offering ADHD services
Integrating Qbtesting has helped MAP to expand ADHD services further, as policy, procedure, and provider trainings are consistent across the board.
The clinic has also been able to confidently move forward with the acquisition of an additional nearby clinic, which was already using the tool.
“The decision to acquire the ADD Clinic of Idaho was made much easier when we realized they were also using QbTest in their service. This gave us confidence that we were partnering with a group of providers seeking a higher standard of care.”
– Kevin Hulsey
Offering digital ADHD testing attracts patients seeking a robust ADHD evaluation process
Objective ADHD testing has now become integral to MAP’s business model, influencing its standard operating procedures, clinic design, and patient care processes.
Each new clinic is designed with a dedicated room for taking the ADHD test, which highlights its importance in the overall patient experience. Clinicians at MAP have found that by offering Qbtesting, they are differentiated from other providers, attracting patients seeking more reliable and objective ADHD diagnostics.
“It has become an integral part to all our providers at MAP. So much so that when we design new clinics and locations, we are designing specific rooms to optimize the environment for test taking,” says Kyle.
Objective testing has led to increased efficiencies in the ADHD care pathway across multiple sites
The cost-effectiveness and reliability of Obtech’s technology have allowed the clinic to serve more patients without compromising on diagnostic quality.
MAP can see patients within a few days if they aren’t limited by specific providers or locations. Treatment happens more quickly and the digital test is becoming an important part of the business development process.
Building patient engagement and trust with digital ADHD testing
Patients often come to MAP clinics with a preconceived belief that they have ADHD. By offering patients a digital test for ADHD, the clinic helps to either validate or refute these beliefs objectively, building trust in the diagnosis and treatment plan.
Insurance and cost management considerations with objective ADHD testing
While not all insurance providers cover Qbtech’s ADHD tests, MAP emphasizes the significance of objective, computerized testing for all patients seeking ADHD treatment. This commitment highlights the essential role of the digital tool in delivering high-quality patient care.
“While most insurances will reimburse for the test, for those that don’t, we work closely with our patients to ensure that financial constraints don’t limit access to this important test. Our goal is to make the test both accessible and affordable for everyone.”
– Kevin Hulsey