LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — With its footprint spread across Kentucky, UK HealthCare is taking a big step forward.
On Tuesday, community and state leaders cut the ribbon on the first psychiatric emergency unit in Kentucky.
“And certainly this is a celebration of the state's first Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment and Healing unit known forevermore as EmPATH or the EmPATH unit right here in central Kentucky,” said Robert S. DiPaola, co-executive vice president for Health Affairs (EVPHA) at UK HealthCare.
UK HealthCare joins an exclusive list of only 30 EmPATH units in the U.S.
Located alongside Eastern State Hospital, EmPATH will help patients experiencing acute mental health issues receive immediate support.
“Our goal is to ensure that no patient must leave the state for their healthcare needs,” said DiPaola.
Upon arrival, EmPATH patients with interact with healthcare providers including psychiatrists, social workers, even peer support specialists. Patients can stay for up to 23 hours.
“The EmPATH model uses a proven and evidence-based protocol to intervene quickly and appropriately if a patient faces a crisis,” said DiPaola.
These psychiatric emergency units could be lightening the load on traditional emergency departments.
Zeller and the physician-owned partnership Vituity, which helps hospitals develop their own EmPATH units, estimate that currently 12-15% of emergency room visits are related to behavioral health.
In Kentucky, the unit comes at the perfect time, according to local and state leaders.
“This EmPATH unit will help support thousands of individuals in our community who experience mental illness. Experts estimate it is one in 20 adults,” said Lexington Mayor, Linda Gorton.
“Behavioral health, I think we can all agree, today is one of the leading illnesses across America and here in Kentucky,” said Rocky Adkins, senior advisor to Governor Beshear.
More than the new facility or the new approach, leaders say its the empathy embedded in EmPATH that’s long overdue for people struggling with mental illness.
“This is the right thing for patients, for UK, for Lexington, and for Kentucky,” said Lindsey Jasinski, Eastern State Hospital CAO.
EmPATH officially opened its doors at 7 p.m. Tuesday evening and began accepting patients.
