The people who come in for our services come from a


variety of backgrounds, and they also come with a variety of issues. Some are very severe, some chronic, some acute, some are people who just need a little bit of help.


- Richard McGee -


“ ”


It’s a far cry from the earliest days of the practice when services were largely limited to medication and counseling, notably psychiatry. McGee said the growth of the behavioral health center has been thanks to continued investment by hospital leader- ship, which has expanded the center to 110 employ- ees. Still, it’s a challenge to meet the demand. “The State of Missouri has been very progressive about pushing for mental health services," he said. "Our area is unique because we cover the seven counties of South Central Missouri, which represent roughly 9% of the state’s land mass. It’s a big area we have to cover, and it’s only 2% of the population. “Based on the need for services and the refer- rals that we see coming in, we are a relatively large part of the organization, but as community mental health centers go, we’re not huge.” OZH’s continued commitment and investment


Ozarks Healthcare Behavioral Health Center has distinguished itself, ranking in the 99th percentile for patient satisfaction.


recognizes the importance of this category of healthcare, despite the challenges of market size and patient need. Jennifer Wheeler, clinic man- ager, has worked here for 22 years and watched as the small practice grew into a cornerstone of healthcare for the region. “Smaller communities like ours, there are a lot of


little mom-and-pop mental health places that offer counseling, but there’s no psychiatry even close to us,” she said. “It’s at least an hour’s drive to see a psychiatrist if you don’t come to us.” Longevity is one thing, maintaining a consis- tently high quality of care over time is something very different. Here again, Ozarks Healthcare BHC has distinguished itself, ranking in the 99th percentile for patient satisfaction, per tracking service Press Ganey. “We put a very high focus on patient satisfaction,” Wheeler said. “We have a group of behavioral health employees who make up the patient experience


team. We meet every month and we talk about different ways that we can increase patient satis- faction. We also have drop boxes around the clinic where people can put in comments and suggestions. “I think our No. 1 thing is we make sure our patients


are heard. When they tell us they would like to see something different or that they need something dif- ferent or another service, we listen to that and we act upon it. That’s one of the things we’re most proud of.” Ozarks Healthcare BHC achieved another mile-


stone recently, earning the designation of a certified community behavioral health organization. “That means we basically meet the highest level


of certification that you can obtain for a mental health organization,” McGee said. “It’s a national standard established by SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services organization. It took us several years to develop policies and procedures and put in all the programs that help us meet that.” The practice continues to set the bar for commu-


nity mental healthcare and wellness. It will soon open a crisis intervention center, which acts like an emergency room for mental health conditions, as well as a substance abuse disorder program. It’s also stepping up efforts to reach into area schools and law enforcement to provide various education- al programs and healthcare services on behavior- al health issues. It’s an ambitious agenda and not without challenges, but one Wheeler is confident can be fulfilled as the department embarks upon its second quarter-century of service. “I am proud to be a part of behavioral health,” she said. “It’s been an amazing journey and experience for me. I had never worked in the medical field be- fore, so I didn’t know what I was getting into. But I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a great group of people with great big hearts for our patients.”


FALL/WINTER 2022 | INSIGHT | 39


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