Mar 2, 2016 2 min read

Hospitals are required to find a bed for emergency department patients with an immediate need. But if a patient with an acute psychiatric problem can’t be treated – either because the hospital doesn’t have an appropriate psychiatric department or because all of the beds are filled – hospital personnel must call around to other facilities to find a vacancy.

“I realize it’s a huge issue with trying to find any kind of open bed,” said state Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-Carroll Township.

“People can sit for 30 hours, waiting.”

Bartolotta plans to introduce legislation creating a real-time reporting system to identify available psychiatric beds across the state. Her bill will “mirror and facilitate” a bill introduced by state Rep. Dan Miller, D-Mt. Lebanon. Bartolotta said lawmakers are tackling the issue from all sides.

The voluntary registry would be administered by the state Department of Health and include contact information and details for participating psychiatric facilities, including the type of patient who can be admitted and level of security.

According to a Pennsylvania Medical Society news release, the goal of the registry would be to improve patient care and ease overcrowding in emergency departments.

“We can go on our smartphone and get a hotel in Hong Kong with all the amenities we want,” Bartolotta said. “There should be an easier way for people to get help … as quickly as possible.”

Jennifer Campbell, director of Washington Health System Center for Recovery & Wellness, inpatient services, said that while beds for adult patients aren’t as difficult to locate, the hospital often has a challenge finding placement for adolescents and children.

“Providing a database for behavioral health bed availability would provide a more efficient and beneficial process for patients,” Campbell said. “This system would save a lot of time and allow better consideration for keeping patients as close to home as possible, where they have better access to their personal support system.”