Health Administration Research Articles

An analysis offactors influencing technical efficiency ofhealth expenditures inChina.

China's primary healthcare (PHC) system, together with rural healthcare services, remains the Achilles' heel in the national healthcare system. Healthcare workers, specifically village doctors, are an integral part of the healthcare system. Using the two-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Tobit regression analysis, this study aims to investigate the efficiency of healthcare expenditures on medical resources and services in China, as well as determine how different types of healthcare work influence efficiency. Compared with other types of healthcare workers, village doctors exerted a prominent impact on provincial and rural efficiency at all stages and played a key role in augmenting the efficiency of healthcare expenditures on health outcomes. Besides, township health centers (THCs) and village clinics (VCs) faced administrative overstaffing, mainly involving pharmacists, other nonmedical technologists, and health administrators, which adversely affected the efficiency of healthcare expenditures. This study suggests that the higher the proportion of these non-village doctor positions (e.g., pharmacists, health administrators, and nonmedical technologists) in THCs and VCs, the lower the efficiency of China's PHC system. Overall, the priority should be enhancing the training and remuneration of village doctors and other healthcare workers in rural areas to further enhance their performance and increase the overall efficiency of China's healthcare system.

The impact of living with multiple long-term conditions (multimorbidity) on everyday life – a qualitative evidence synthesis

BackgroundMultiple long-term conditions (MLTCs), living with two or more long-term conditions (LTCs), often termed multimorbidity, has a high and increasing prevalence globally with earlier age of onset in people living in deprived communities. A holistic understanding of the patient’s perspective of the work associated with living with MLTCs is needed. This study aimed to synthesise qualitative evidence describing the experiences of people living with MLTCs (multimorbidity) and to develop a greater understanding of the effect on people’s lives and ways in which living with MLTCs is 'burdensome' for people.MethodsThree concepts (multimorbidity, burden and lived experience) were used to develop search terms. A broad qualitative filter was applied. MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), PsycINFO (EBSCO), CINAHL (EBSCO) and the Cochrane Library were searched from January 2000-January 2023. We included studies where at least 50% of study participants were living with three or more LTCs and the lived experience of MLTCs was expressed from the patient perspective. Screening and quality assessment (CASP checklist) was undertaken by two independent researchers. Data was synthesised using an inductive approach. PPI (Patient and Public Involvement) input was included throughout.ResultsOf 30,803 references identified, 46 met the inclusion criteria. 31 studies (67%) did not mention ethnicity or race of participants and socioeconomic factors were inconsistently described. Only two studies involved low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Eight themes of work were generated: learning and adapting; accumulation and complexity; symptoms; emotions; investigation and monitoring; health service and administration; medication; and finance. The quality of studies was generally high. 41 papers had no PPI involvement reported and none had PPI contributor co-authors.ConclusionsThe impact of living with MLTCs was experienced as a multifaceted and complex workload involving multiple types of work, many of which are reciprocally linked. Much of this work, and the associated impact on people, may not be apparent to healthcare staff, and current health systems and policies are poorly equipped to meet the needs of this growing population. There was a paucity of data from LMICs and insufficient information on how patient characteristics might influence experiences. Future research should involve patients as partners and focus on these evidence gaps.

The trials and triumphs of co-producing an evaluation plan: A principles-focused evaluation

BackgroundRecovery Colleges are mental health-oriented education programs that are rooted in principles of peer support and co-production. Co-production, in this context, involves people with lived experience of mental health and addiction challenges and people with other forms of expertise (e.g., mental health professionals, administrators, and researchers) collaborating on the design and actualization of programs and initiatives. Despite co-production being a central feature of Recovery Colleges, very few Recovery College evaluations appear to be co-produced. In addition, there is a lack of research that evaluates the quality of the co-production processes in developing evaluations. The Recovery College at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, called the Collaborative Learning College, established an Evaluation Subcommittee with the goal of co-designing and implementing an evaluation plan for the program. In response to the dearth of literature on co-producing Recovery College evaluations and the quality of such collaborative processes, the Evaluation Subcommittee conducted a principles-focused evaluation to assess the quality of their process of co-producing an evaluation plan.MethodsAll members of the Evaluation Subcommittee collaboratively developed and agreed on three principles that they felt were most important in their co-production process. Using a self-narrative approach, each member then produced a reflection on the importance of the principles, the degree to which the committee adhered to them, and the impact. Finally, members engaged in collaborative thematic analysis and co-wrote this manuscript.ResultsThe results of this study outline member’s purposes for joining the Evaluation Subcommittee, the strengths and challenges related to embodying the collaborative principles, and the associated impacts.ConclusionsThe findings demonstrate the value of co-producing health education evaluations with people with lived experience and highlight important lessons learned through the Evaluation Subcommittee’s collaborative process, specifically related to mitigating the impacts of power imbalances. These lessons can be valuable for others to consider in their co-production processes.

Preparing for stormy weather: building VA health system resilience for dialysis emergency preparedness in the era of climate change.

Climate change has been implicated as the driver for the increasing number, intensity, duration, and consequences of catastrophic weather events. As a result of extreme weather events, climate change has also been implicated as an important mediator of adverse kidney health outcomes, not only increasing the risk for the development of acute and chronic kidney diseases, but also disrupting the delivery of critical kidney health services. In particular, the delivery of dialysis services during major emergencies remains an ongoing and increasing problem, with a recognized need for improved emergency preparedness and disaster management (EP-DM) strategies to mitigate the increased risk of morbidity and mortality associated with missed dialysis treatment. There are increasing reports detailing the challenges of kidney dialysis care in times of crisis, to include those resulting from both man-made and natural disasters. Optimized management of the high-risk vulnerable dialysis patient population must include both facility-facing comprehensive continuity of operations and emergency response plans, and ongoing patient-facing emergency preparedness education. This review discusses the adverse impact of climate change-related natural disasters on the delivery of dialysis services, and the evolving EP-DM strategies developed and implemented by the Veterans Health Administration (VA) to optimize the care and well being of the vulnerable end stage kidney disease (ESKD) patient population.

To Telework or Not to Telework: Perspectives from Inpatient and Outpatient Social Workers at the Veterans Health Administration.

To Telework or Not to Telework: Perspectives from Inpatient and Outpatient Social Workers at the Veterans Health Administration.

Development and delivery of enhanced implementation support to disseminate a national caregiver skills training program

Abstract Background and Objectives As the population ages there is increasing need for caregiver training programs, but little is known about how to deliver implementation support for diverse sites in large-scale implementation efforts. External group-based implementation facilitation may be one promising approach. This study’s objective is to detail the development and delivery of a pragmatic implementation facilitation approach to support the national rollout of a caregiver training, Caregivers FIRST, at over 140 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) sites. Research Design and Methods Using administrative, survey and project data, we describe the process of developing and delivering enhanced support to 13 VHA sites unable to meet adoption benchmarks as part of a national mandate. Enhanced support consisted of 4 group-based calls delivered within a 12-week period that used tailored external facilitation to address barriers, facilitators, and strategies for program implementation. We present key implementation barriers, implementation strategies, and sites’ perceptions of highly valued elements of enhanced support. Results Enhanced support calls focused on 3 implementation barriers commonly identified by implementing staff (n=25) in a site-level needs assessment survey: recruiting and retaining caregivers (83%), balancing program delivery alongside competing demands (57%), and support from other departments in program delivery (44%). Sites attended a median of 3 out of 4 enhanced support calls. In post-implementation quantitative surveys, the average response of perceived helpfulness of enhanced support (ranging from 1 to 5) was 3.4 at 6 months, increasing to 4.2 at 12 months. Respondents valued collaborative problem-solving and the ability to learn best practices from other implementing sites during enhanced support calls. Discussion and Implications Describing the process of developing and delivering enhanced support via group-based external facilitation for Caregivers FIRST in VHA may provide useful information to guide similar efforts in other healthcare systems as they broadly disseminate interventions to support caregivers across diverse sites.

Setting the balance of care for older adults at risk of hospitalization and delayed discharge: A mixed-methods research protocol.

Delayed hospital discharge is a persistent care quality issue experienced across health systems worldwide and remains a priority area to be addressed in Canada. Often associated with a decrease in services while waiting to leave the hospital, delayed discharge from hospital can lead to increased frailty, physical and cognitive decline, and caregiver burnout. Optimizing availability of and timely access to community-based health and social care are avenues that could reduce initial admissions to the hospital and length of hospital stay, and facilitate hospital discharges. This research will explore the ways in which community resources could be leveraged to potentially avoid hospitalization and delayed hospital discharge for older adults using sequential mixed-methods including co-design. To better understand the characteristics and needs of older adults, the research team will first identify sub-populations of older adults (65 years old or older) at risk of hospitalization and delayed discharge using comprehensive, longitudinal administrative health data. From these health data, risk profiles and personas will be created and then shared with key partners (e.g., older adults, caregivers, healthcare providers, healthcare decision-makers), who will be engaged to identify, leverage, and create targeted care solutions. The barriers and facilitators to the implementation of these care solutions will then be explored. Delayed hospital discharge has been a critical care quality issue across Canada for decades. The current research will provide health system leaders with an approach to better allocate services to older adults in order to avoid delayed hospital discharge and identify gaps in health and social care resources based on the characteristics, needs, and preferences of older adults, their caregivers, and providers.

Electronic Health Record Modernization: Nursing Excellence through Virtual Care

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is undergoing an Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) across the entire enterprise, with the goal of creating a shared Federal Electronic Health Record (FEHR). In 2017, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) joined with the Department of Defense (DOD) to plan for the transition to a modernized, combined EHR platform to capture the healthcare delivery of both active-duty members and veterans. The VHA anticipated transitioning to the new EHR across all medical centers nationally over a period of 10 years—”the largest EHR transition in history.” The first rollout was in October 2020 in Spokane, Washington, USA.

Long-term Outcomes of Persistent Postoperative Opioid Use: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

To determine the association between PPOU and the long-term risk of OUD and opioid overdose. PPOU is a commonly used outcome in the surgical literature; its incidence and risk factors have been well described. However, its association to long term outcomes, including OUD and opioid overdose, is unknown. A retrospective cohort study utilizing the Veterans Health Administration corporate data warehouse. Patients undergoing any surgery between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2018 were included and followed until December 31, 2020. Univariate and multivariate survival analysis were used to determine the association between PPOU and OUD and overdose. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to determine the impact of different definitions of persistent opioid use and the effect of preoperative opioid use. A total of 344,745 patients undergoing surgery were included and followed for a median of 6.18 years (IQR 3.53-9.12). PPOU was associated with an increased hazard of developing both OUD (HR = 1.88, CI: 1.81-1.95, P < 0.001) and overdose (HR = 1.83, CI: 1.72-1.94, P < 0.001). This association remained consistent after adjustment for comorbidities and across all sensitivity analyses. Surgical patients who develop PPOU are at increased risk of both OUD and overdose as compared to surgical patients who do not develop persistent use.

Mental Health Provider Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Diagnosing Anxiety Disorders in the Veterans Health Administration.

Clinical practice guidelines indicate treatments for specific anxiety diagnoses. Misdiagnosing specific anxiety disorders as unspecified anxiety may prevent patients from receiving appropriate care. Provider knowledge and attitudes may influence diagnostic practices. This study evaluated provider knowledge of diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders and attitudes toward diagnostic processes and the relevance of diagnosis to patients' treatment. This qualitative analysis of interviews included 32 Veterans Health Administration providers in Primary Care Behavioral Health and Specialty Mental Health. Interview guides were created using a framework that outlines barriers regarding provider knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors as they pertain to following clinical practice guidelines. Most providers described themselves as familiar with diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders and discussed consulting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders if unsure about criteria. Providers were divided on the relevance of diagnostic specificity to a patient's treatment plan and outcomes. In the Veterans Health Administration, providers across different settings, roles, and tendency toward assigning specific diagnosis disagree on the relevance of diagnostic specificity for a patient's treatment and outcomes. Future research should seek to understand this divide and evaluate methods for optimizing a patient's likelihood of receiving a proper, accurate diagnosis.

Comprehensive Review of the Role of Medical Secretaries in Health Administration and Modern Healthcare Systems Management

Medical secretaries, also known as medical office assistants or healthcare administrators, ensure that healthcare organizations and the broader healthcare delivery systems are run daily. Explores the broad growing utility of medical secretaries in clinical organizations, specifically concerning patient treatment and clinical operation in healthcare organizations, more so about the applicability of information technology in healthcare facilities. In this context, the literature review intends to overview their duties and responsibilities, training, issues they face, and contributions to efficient healthcare delivery, patient satisfaction, and organizational outcomes. We can reaffirm the essentiality of medical secretaries in today's healthcare organizations and recommend measures for improving their position based on education, implementing new technologies, and professional training.

USER ACCEPTANCE OF MOBILE-JKN: INSIGHTS FROM THE TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE MODEL

Background: Technological advancements in healthcare have driven BPJS Kesehatan Indonesia to develop the Mobile JKN application to enhance accessibility, efficiency, and quality of services. Despite its potential benefits, the implementation of this application faces various challenges, such as application errors, differing levels of digital literacy, and data security issues, necessitating an evaluation of its adoption and acceptance. Aims: To analyse the public acceptance of Mobile JKN based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) variable while also exploring user experiences towards the application. Methods: A descriptive-analytical approach with a cross-sectional design. Data were collected through a questionnaire developed based on the TAM model, involving 406 respondents across Indonesia. Data analysis was performed using a regression linear test with SPSS after all basic assumptions were met. Results: Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Usefulness, and Attitude Toward Use individually and simultaneously impact Actual System Use (Sig. 0.000; R-Square 0.827). Respondents generally answered “Agree” to all TAM indicators, with mean scores of 4.20 for Perceived Usefulness, 4.16 for Perceived Ease of Use, 4.25 for Attitude Toward Use, and 4.33 for Actual System Use. Most users accessed the app through self-access (48%), frequently used features were membership information (28%), and encountered issues such as application errors (25%). Conclusion: The app was deemed relevant, accurate, easy to use, and beneficial. To enhance public acceptance, BPJS Kesehatan should focus on developing a user-friendly Mobile JKN app by incorporating key TAM factors, optimizing popular features, improving technical stability, and regularly addressing user feedback to ensure effective health administration and service delivery. Keywords: Adoption, Application, BPJS Kesehatan, Mobile JKN, TAM

Inpatient Care Experiences Differ for VA and Non-VA Hospitals, With Different Patterns by Health, Race, and Ethnicity.

This article estimates differences and difference-in-differences in patient experiences for Veterans Health Administration (VA) compared to non-VA patients in 2017, when there was concern about the health quality of VA hospitals, and in 2021, the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, both overall, and for specific patient groups. We used data from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. In 2017, HCAHPS performance was somewhat better for non-VA than for VA hospitals, with Care Transition being the only measure for which VA hospitals performed better on average. By 2021, HCAHPS performance was better for VA than for non-VA hospitals for all but two measures (Quietness and Discharge Information), for which there were no differences from non-VA hospitals. In 2017, the VA provided worse experiences than non-VA hospitals for Black and poor-health patients; in 2021, VA hospitals outperformed non-VA hospitals for these, and all patient subgroups examined.

Comprehensive Review of Health Administration Practices with A Focus on Laboratory Management

This paper concludes that effective health administration is vital for overall organizational efficiency, particularly in the healthcare industry, measured through the level of accomplishment of laboratory objectives. Therefore, this extensive literature review aims to discuss the main principles of leadership in health administration with an emphasis on laboratory management, which is the most sensitive and known to be effective, efficient, and innovative. This paper reviews the advancements in management in healthcare facility laboratories, including systems, technology, and guidelines. Particular emphasis is placed on the developments in the field of laboratory management resulting from improvements in health informatics, regulation, and mandatory improvements in the quality and safety of laboratory testing. The review also includes best practices and emerging trends, including staffing, training and development, resources, planning and control, and compliance. Thus, this paper offers a literature review of previous research and new data on factors enhancing laboratory management best practices and the corresponding recommendations.

Implementing INTERACT in Veterans Health Administration Community Living Centers: A pragmatic randomized trial.

Hospital transfers from VA Community Living Centers (CLCs) are common. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of introducing the Intervention to Reduce Acute Care Transfers (INTERACT) program into VA CLCs. Cluster randomized trial involving 16 pair-matched VA CLCs. Intervention CLC nursing staff were trained in the use of INTERACT tools designed to identify early signs of a clinical change in condition and improve communication and documentation. One tool was embedded into the VA Electronic Medical Record. Intervention staff were supported by bi-weekly calls over 18 months to reinforce INTERACT tool use. The primary outcome for intent-to-treat analyses was the rate of all-cause hospitalizations per 1000 person days. Secondary outcomes, assessed through structured record reviews and algorithms, were intervention CLCs change in 1) potentially inappropriate transfer decisions and 2) potentially preventable transfers. CLC staff implementation and engagement in INTERACT were documented. Only five of the eight intervention CLCs substantially engaged in the intervention. Using a negative-binomial regression with random effects, adjusting for month, intervention, and the interaction of time and the intervention, we observed no statistically significant difference between intervention and control facilities in all-cause hospitalizations. This was confirmed with matched resident-level, as-treated, analyses among residents in the five engaged CLCs and their matched controls. Structured implicit review of intervention CLC's medical records revealed low rates of inappropriate transfer decisions both before and after the intervention. Introducing INTERACT into volunteer VA CLCs did not reduce the rates of all-cause hospitalizations. In both the pre- and post-intervention periods, all-cause hospitalization rates were relatively higher, and inappropriate transfers lower in VA CLCs than commonly observed in community NHs. Low rates of potentially inappropriate transfers and higher nurse and physician staffing in CLCs may explain why INTERACT was not implemented as fully as planned.

Evaluating a transitional housing program for people who use substances (PWUS) who experience homelessness and live with a mental health issue: a mixed-methods study protocol in Sudbury Ontario

BackgroundA new transitional housing program was established in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, in response to the escalating global prevalence of substance use and homelessness, and the specific challenges faced in Northern Ontario. This protocol outlines a comprehensive program evaluation to assess its impact on patient outcomes, healthcare utilization, and client perspectives.MethodsWe will conduct a parallel mixed-method study that includes the analysis of single-center-level administrative health data and primary data collection. This includes a longitudinal observational study (target n = 1,200), pre- and post-admission quantitative interviews (target n = 40), and qualitative interviews (target n = 40). We will implement a participatory approach to this evaluation collaborating with people who use substances, frontline staff, and decision-makers. Data analysis methods include a range of statistical techniques, including logistic regression models, Cox proportional hazards models, Kaplan-Meier curves, Generalized Estimating Equations, and thematic qualitative analysis, ensuring a robust evaluation of patient outcomes and healthcare utilization.DiscussionThis protocol underpins a comprehensive assessment aimed at providing insights into the program’s effectiveness in addressing substance use-related challenges, reducing healthcare disparities, and improving patient outcomes, such as stable housing and increased social capital. All study procedures adhere to the ethical principles outlined in the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans. Findings will be disseminated progressively through established committees and working groups and subsequently published in peer-reviewed journals. Anticipated outcomes include informing evidence-based healthcare decision-making and driving improvements in addiction treatment practices within healthcare settings.

Comprehensive Review of Health Informatics and Administrative Practices in Healthcare

Specifically, health informatics is an uphill profession responsible for changing the direction of healthcare systems to manage a massive amount of healthcare data. This paper explores the integration of health informatics with healthcare admission, focusing on the developments, trends, and issues encountered in the field. This paper aims to discuss healthcare organizations' key technologies, systems, and practices regarding clinical and administrative work approaches such as EHR, HIS, and telemedicine. This review looks at relevant studies and studies done in recent years and has highlighted how technology helps healthcare organizations deliver efficient, safe, and quality care. The paper also features recommendations for improving health informatics and other administrative practice outcomes, emphasizing future trends in healthcare technology.

Optimizing nurse practitioner productivity within the Veterans Health Administration.

Nurse practitioners (NPs) provide high-quality, comprehensive health care at Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical centers in various practice settings. Accurately determining the productivity of NPs is essential to understanding their overall contribution to veteran care. There is a lack of understanding of the contributors to the variability among VHA medical centers regarding their processes for capturing these data. Using benchmark data from the VHA Support Service Center Capital Assets application, this quality improvement (QI) initiative implemented a series of plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles to determine whether increased education regarding billing and coding, along with person classification and labor mapping accuracy, could increase NP productivity. The problem identified through an analysis of NP productivity revealed variability across multiple VHA facilities. The PDSA method was employed in this QI project. The QI team compared the total workload relative value units (wRVU) for NPs in each participating facility pre and post a three-phase intervention. Nurse practitioners' person classification and labor mapping accuracy was evaluated at each site. An educational program regarding billing and coding was developed and delivered to the NP frontline staff. The QI team compared the total wRVUs for the NPs at each facility pre- and postintervention. An increase in the wRVUs was observed following the intervention across six facilities. Five of the seven facilities displayed stability in relative value unit improvement postintervention. Educating frontline NPs on billing, coding, person classification, and labor mapping can improve NP productivity.

Larval source management in Ethiopia: modelling to assess its effectiveness in curbing malaria surge in dire Dawa and Batu Towns

BackgroundEthiopia faces several severe challenges in terms of malaria elimination, including drug resistance and diagnostic evasion in the Plasmodium falciparum parasite, insecticide resistance in the primary Anopheles malaria vector, and, most recently, the invasion of the Asian malaria vector Anopheles stephensi. Novel malaria control methods are therefore needed, and in this paper, we describe the evaluation of a larval source management (LSM) strategy implemented in response to An. stephensi. The primary outcome was the malaria incidence rate compared between intervention and non-intervention sites in the presence of An. stephensi.MethodsIntervention (Batu and Dire Dawa) and control (Metehara) towns were selected, and weekly malaria passive case detection data collected between 2014 and 2023 were obtained from the Oromia regional state and Dire Dawa City Administration Health Bureau. In addition, data regarding intervention were obtained from the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) reports. Weekly malaria passive case data were used to evaluate the change in the estimated malaria incidence rate and trends of temporal patterns of the estimated malaria incidence rate before and after interventions. An interrupted time series model with a cyclic second-order random walk structure periodic seasonal term was used to assess the impact of LSM on malaria incidence rate in the intervention and control settings.ResultsAn upsurge in malaria cases occurred after 2020 at both the intervention and control sites. The temporal patterns of malaria incidence rate showed an increasing trend after the intervention. The ITS model depicted that the LSM has no impact in reducing the malaria incidence rate at both intervention site Dire Dawa [immediate impact = 1.462 (0.891, 2.035)], [Lasting impact = 0.003 (− 0.012, 0.018)], and Batu [Immediate impact 0.007 (− 0.235, 0.249), [Lasting impact = 0.008 (− 0.003, 0.013)].ConclusionsAn overall increasing trend in the malaria incidence rate was observed irrespective of the implementation of LSM in the urban settings of Ethiopia, where An. stephensi has been found. Further investigations and validations of the incorporation of LSM into control activities are warranted.

Conditional cash transfers and mortality in people hospitalised with psychiatric disorders: A cohort study of the Brazilian Bolsa Família Programme.

Psychiatric patients experience lower life expectancy compared to the general population. Conditional cash transfer programmes (CCTPs) have shown promise in reducing mortality rates, but their impact on psychiatric patients has been unclear. This study tests the association between being a Brazilian Bolsa Família Programme (BFP) recipient and the risk of mortality among people previously hospitalised with any psychiatric disorders. This cohort study utilised Brazilian administrative datasets, linking social and health system data from the 100 Million Brazilian Cohort, a population-representative study. We followed individuals who applied for BFP following a single hospitalisation with a psychiatric disorder between 2008 and 2015. The outcome was mortality and specific causes, defined according to International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10). Cox proportional hazards models estimated the hazard ratio (HR) for overall mortality and competing risks models estimated the HR for specific causes of death, both associated with being a BFP recipient, adjusted for confounders, and weighted with a propensity score. We included 69,901 psychiatric patients aged between 10 and 120, with the majority being male (60.5%), and 26,556 (37.99%) received BFP following hospitalisation. BFP was associated with reduced overall mortality (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.87,0.98, p 0.018) and mortality due to natural causes (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.83, 0.96, p < 0.001). Reduction in suicide (HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.68, 1.21, p = 0.514) was observed, although it was not statistically significant. The BFP's effects on overall mortality were more pronounced in females and younger individuals. In addition, 4% of deaths could have been prevented if BFP had been present (population attributable risk (PAF) = 4%, 95% CI 0.06, 7.10). BFP appears to reduce mortality rates among psychiatric patients. While not designed to address elevated mortality risk in this population, this study highlights the potential for poverty alleviation programmes to mitigate mortality rates in one of the highest-risk population subgroups.