The MeckLINK Behavioral Healthcare Local Management Entity (LME) strongly
advocates for consumers’ safety. The LME has been continuously dedicated to
safety activities since 2002. Some of these activities are:
- Consumers can contact the LME 24 hours per day, 7 days per week by phone and in person. The LME contracts with a local psychiatric emergency room to provide services to consumers who need help with urgent or emergency behavioral health conditions.
- The Clinical Risk Manager tracks, records and investigates reports of situations during treatment that could have or did cause harm to consumers (adverse events). As needed, the Clinical Risk Manager works with agencies to resolve specific events and provides technical assistance to reduce the occurrence of similar events in the future.
- The Consumer Representative investigates and resolves consumer complaints including complaints about the Quality of Care they are receiving.
- When consumers transfer from one primary behavioral health care provider to another, the Consumer Representative ensures that the transition is successful and appropriate clinical documentation has been sent to the new provider.
- The LME works with providers and psychiatric hospitals to ensure an exchange of clinical information that promotes informed and coordinated behavioral care for consumers.
- The LME tracks, analyzes and responds to improve the availability and accessibility of appointments in the community after consumers are discharged from psychiatric hospitalization. The target is to provide consumers with appointments that are within 10 of hospital discharge.
- The LME conducts site visits to all potential providers to ensure that basic
standards for quality and safety are met:
- Practitioners are qualified to provide services.
- The facility is licensed by North Carolina to provide services.
- A system for clinical record documentation is in place.
- The history of sanctions against the agency or a practitioner are
reviewed.
- Disaster plans are in place.
- Potential safety hazards are identified and resolved.
- The agency is capable to perform the service under consideration.
The Mecklenburg LME is committed to safe practices that produce the best possible behavioral health outcomes for our consumers.