Since the recent launch of the One-Eighty program started by Covenant Health Levelland, the program has found early success in its practices.
The One-Eighty program is a hospital based inpatient medical service for withdrawal from alcohol, drugs or prescription medication.
The program is meant for those experiencing acute withdrawal symptoms and can receive care in the safe environment of Covenant Health Levelland.
In regard to the process, a typical hospital stay is three days. Scheduled admissions are voluntary and planned. Individuals will receive assistance with discharge plans for followup care. The program accepts Medicaid, Medicare, most insurance plans and private pay.
Chief Administrative Officer Newman Wheeler explained that prior to One-Eighty, the hospital provided some medical stabilization or detox with patients.
Whether they were in the ER or with the county those individuals would be brought in to be detoxed and would then be discharged either to their home or a treatment facility they had in mind.
Wheeler explained that the hospital does not provide the treatment, only the medical stabilization or the detox. Also, when referring to treatment that entails pharmaceuticals the individual receives over three-tofive- day period.
The idea of the program was provided by Hospitalist Dr. MuMing Chen who used to work with the One-Eighty program in Jourdantan, Tx.
From there, Wheeler looked into the program and learned how much bigger the program is. It was explained to him that the program serves as an anchor point for the region and not only services Levelland or Hockley County, but all of West Texas and even New Mexico.
It was explained to Newman that the good success rate with the patients is better with the program because the screening intake is down by the hospital to make sure that the individuals qualify for admission.
Once they receive the detox or medical stabilization, there is a person on site that will work on finding the proper treatment center for the individual and then make sure they get to treatment.
“That was the concept and when we started to look around no one really had very comprehensive program that was start to finish,” said Wheeler. “It was always pieced together.”
During the last community assessment conducted roughly two years ago, of the things that came up was substance abuse.
From there the question circled around what Covenant Health Levelland was doing to address the issues from a healthcare perspective for all the communities within Hockley County.
“With us piecing the process together and having no start to finish program, that is why we went into it,” explained Wheeler. “The anchoring factor is Dr. Chen. He is the one that oversees the medical piece of the process and helps us in the entire program. It works well.”
The program official began last November and has continued to be implemented into the new year.
Another integral piece of the program is One-Eighty Service Coordinator Vanessa Leos.
“Vanessa does an absolutely outstanding job and is really making the program be all it can,” said Wheeler. “I think we have had a good response so far.”
Leos added that four patients have been served this month and there were five in December. Also, all patients served have come from outside of Hockley County. Wheeler believes that those numbers will continue to grow as details of the program become known to the public.
“We really have our process in order,” said Wheeler. “Our staff from top-down has been trained including myself. We are all on the same page. During our training we also offered the chance for a lot of our local public safety departments to join in the training.”
Additionally, Leos has been working on marketing with various treatment centers and finding different opportunities to get patients treatment.
“We are constantly working on a discharge plan for inpatient’s,” said Leos. “Something that we’re establishing is that if the patient at the time of intake decides to remain an inpatient, I make contact with the treatment center and when they get accepted, they go from our hospital to the treatment center with no stops in between.”
Once the patient arrives at the treatment center, they sign a release of information which allows for Leos to stay in communication with the individual as well as their counselors.
“It has been great,” said Leos. “We have already had two graduates.”
Wheeler added that the impact of the program is huge as it can be big for families and individuals.
“While we are part of Covenant, I am proud of the fact that Levelland is the one that started it,” said Wheeler. “We are in the right place, we are the right size and right feel for a lot of people who a lot of times feel embarrassed, ashamed or do not want people to know they are experiencing those issues but are ready to enter the program.”
Individuals do have to qualify for the program as there is an intended sense of urgency behind the process.
Wheeler explained that the individual has to be in a condition where they could potentially be hospitalized or need to be in an acute care setting. Additionally, the program is not meant for individuals who take the decision lightly or in an elective nature.
“This is for those individuals who might have to go into medical stabilization or to the ER,” explained Wheeler. “That is where Dr. Chen comes in to make sure we’re appropriately placing and making sure that the patients are taken care of appropriately. So, a lot of times there’s a lot of urgency behind it.”
For those who do not meet that threshold, there is still resources available.
Leos explained that one of the barriers they have ran into is the lack of insurance or health coverage. As a result, helpful step is contacting a private agency or going through South Plains Community Action Association (SPCAA) to see if the individual qualifies for marketplace insurance.
If the individual does not qualify, there are state funded beds available in Amarillo and in Plainview.
“They won’t leave absolutely empty handed,” said Leos. “You may not qualify for the One-Eighty service, but there are other resources out there for you.”
Wheeler hopes there will be help from the government in providing more money in the form of grants to cover costs that will help people get the serves they need.
“If somebody comes through our ER and needs medical stabilization, we do it even if they’re funded or not,” said Wheeler. “We came up with a self-pay price which is a lot cheaper than what it would cost if you had insurance. If they have any type of insurance, we try to find a way to get them in even though it’s not network because we’re dealing with people that may not even be from West Texas.”
Patient feedback has been positive highlighting the quality of Dr. Chen and the nursing staff.
“Vanessa survey’s the patients after their service and they just go on about our staff and how great they felt when they were here,” said Wheeler. “I think our community should be proud of the fact that we’re doing it. It is something that we can tout and put a little feather in our hat for starting the program in West Texas.”
For Leos, one of the biggest selling points for anyone is when they receive One-Eighty services they are indistinguishable from any other patient.
“You have all of the patient rights and liberties that anyone else in the hospital has,” said Leos. In other detox facilities it feels more of a consequence of your actions instead of being treated with empathy and understanding which Dr. Chen and the nurses are amazing at. It also allows the patient to not only reach out for help, but to do so without their head down.”
Wheeler explained that his hope and prayer always is that the patient who receives services at the hospital feels that they leave the facility feeling different.
“Everybody that works here shares the same feeling in making sure the patient feels like this is home,” said Wheeler. “We’re hoping that you have that different experience and you go to others that also need help and say, “hey here’s what you need, here’s where you need to go” because you’re going to be treated as a whole person.”