Few hospitals follow recommended practices for evidence-based suicide care
Few hospitals follow recommended practices for evidence-based suicide care
Pew, by Farzana Akkas; 3/12/24
In 2022, suicide claimed the lives of an estimated 49,449 people in the United States. ... Research has shown that almost half of those who die by suicide interact with the health care system within four weeks of their deaths. And those who are hospitalized for suicide risk face an elevated risk of dying by suicide post-discharge, making this a critical time for these patients to have access to resources, support, and care that can keep them safe in the event of a suicidal crisis. But new research shows that only 8% of hospitals in the U.S. have instituted all the key components of evidence-based, best-practice interventions to help at-risk patients who are discharged after receiving care. In fact, more than 1 in 4 are not conducting any of these interventions.