Connection Learning Healthcare System Hub of the Early Psychosis Intervention Network: Program and Participant...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Mental Health
• Health Services Research
• Data Science in Healthcare

Background:

• The National Institute of Mental Health funds the Early Psychosis Intervention Network (EPINET) to improve care for young people with first episode psychosis.
• The Connection Learning Healthcare System (CLHS) is one of eight EPINET hubs, focusing on Maryland and Pennsylvania.
• CLHS aims to foster continuous quality improvement through uniform data collection and analysis across 25 Coordinated Specialty Care programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the CLHS hub and its programs.
• To detail the development and implementation of a hub-wide core assessment battery, harmonized with the national EPINET battery.
• To present preliminary program and participant characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of a computerized core assessment battery.
• Administration of assessments every six months.
• Creation of an integrated system for data management and analysis.

Main Results:

• Between January 2021 and November 2023, 1059 new participants were admitted; the total cohort comprised 1381 individuals.
• 1245 complete and 1920 partial assessment batteries were collected from 797 and 1319 participants, respectively.
• The CLHS hub is the third-largest data contributor to the National Data Coordinating Center.

Conclusions:

• A standardized, computerized core assessment battery for early psychosis has been successfully implemented across two states.
• The implemented system facilitates improved clinical services and outcomes.
• The study provides methodological insights for researchers using the EPINET national database to advance early psychosis research.