BHbusiness: Mastering essential business operations: Participant reflections after Year 1

BHbusiness is a Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) funded project to improve business practices of mental health and substance abuse treatment agencies across the U.S in advance of full implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Five business practice areas were identified for improvement (strategic planning, third party billing, third party contracting, meaningful use of health information technology and patient eligibility and enrollment).  No similar project of this scale has ever been attempted by SAMHSA. BHbusiness featured three core components to maximize participants’ improvement efforts: peer networks, coaches and an on-line curriculum corresponding to each topic area. At the conclusion of Year 1, a participant assessment was conducted including document reviews, electronic inquiries and semi-structured interviews of coaches and project leaders.  Inquiry response rates were 17%, 50%, and 96% for participants, conveners and coaches, respectively. By the close of Year 1, nearly 800 agencies from across the country had been enrolled. Although technical challenges reduced initial access at start-up, 42% of responding agencies reported that the project improved their business practice and 39% either agreed or strongly agreed that they would be implementing new business practices as a result of the project.