Incidental Medical Services (IMS)

Six Incidental Medical Services Required to Be Provided

Having IMS available requires that specific actions be taken. In order to receive approval from the DHCS, there are six mandatory measures. These required services that have to be satisfied for each individual include:

1. Obtaining an accurate and up to date medical history of the participant.
2. Monitoring of each attending individuals’ health status.
3. Performing essential testing during detox and throughout substance abuse treatment.
4. Providing alcoholism or drug abuse recovery, and the necessary treatment services.
5. Overseeing a patients’ self-administered medications, whether approved within the rehab or deriving from prior diagnosis.
6. Appropriate treatment of any substance abuse disorder, which would include the process of detox.

To allow for further understanding of incidental medical services, a breakdown of each of the six requirements follows below. During rehab, these actions and programs are accounted for, promoting both security and health of those seeking treatment for addiction. To be best prepared for the care that can be received, you should learn more about IMS. A brief overview provides insight into the value of the program, and the superior level of care fulfilled at rehab.

Obtaining an Accurate and Up-to-Date Medical History

Upon beginning treatment at rehab, the first measure taken will be the initial assessment. In a safe and comfortable environment, a series of comprehensive questions will need to be completed. The HealthCare Questionnaire will be completed with a trained and compassionate in-house staff member. This takes place in person and in a privately assigned location.

This inquiry will then be directed to either the resident licensed medical professional on staff or a healthcare practitioner. Typically, this takes place within a 24 hour period of submission. In order to be approved to be administered incidental medical services the evaluation must be reviewed and approved. It will be at this point that the individual and the doctor will convene. Finally, upon signature and date of an IMS Approval Certification, pre-assessment is completed.

Why is Medical History Relevant to Rehab Treatment?

After completing your initial IMS assessment and review of prior medical history necessities detox and treatment can be determined. The initial assessment and incidental medical services approval must be granted for any program.

Preauthorization and approval of a patient’s medical records inform technicians of individual circumstances when IMS is necessary and applicable. This is to ensure that the most superior level of care can be provided to any individual when medically necessary.

Monitoring of Each Individuals’ Health Status

The process of rehabilitation requires that a person adjust both behaviors, habits, and mental associations with their addiction. Because of this, underlying illnesses that may require treatment may have been masked by substance abuse or misinterpreted as withdrawal. When both psychological illness and addiction present together, it is treated as a dual diagnosis.

Because incidental medical services require that frequent monitoring takes place during enrollment, this information can be referred back to later. If dual diagnosis is suspected at this point, arrangements for treatment can be made to confirm and treat post-detox.

The incidental medical services guidelines require that an individual is overseen regularly and that all information is recorded. This is to establish a baseline for treatment, ideally from the earliest point after active addiction has halted. In order to gain approval for incidental medical services to be performed, an individual must comply with these standards.

How Often is Health Status Monitored and Checked?

Before treatment can begin, an individual will be monitored in the assessment stage. During this time, it will be concluded whether a person is eligible for care regarding incidental medical services. In order to be efficient, continual evaluation will consist of check-ins:

• Every 30 minutes
• Within the first 36 hours

Then, throughout the remainder, the monitoring of vitals will continue to be observed and recorded 3 times a day.

Why Are Health Status Checks Needed?

The observation of vitals will be used to determine the state of wellness of the individual seeking treatment. The factors that will be established will include:

• If the individual’s state of health, regarding addiction, requires a transfer to an emergency or urgent care location
• If the rehab facility can provide the level of care that is necessary in-house.
• Whether an underlying health condition takes precedence over addiction treatment
• To conclude which type of treatment will be most beneficial to combat an individual’s case regarding a substance use disorder
• Whether the individual is eligible for drug therapy to assist with detox

It will be up to the discretion of the healthcare practitioner or resident physician to determine the course of action. If an addict is medically cleared, the enrollment process can continue.

Does Monitoring of Health Status Continue After Initial Assessment?

After the initial assessment for incidental medical services, health screenings will continue throughout detox. While preparing for detox treatment, individuals will be examined using one of two systematic rating charts.

1. COWS (Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale)
2. CIWA (Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol)

According to the incidental medical service protocol, it may be necessary to arrange a more intensive location for detox to occur. In some cases, it’s determined that the facility and medical staff are not equipped to manage potential severity of withdrawal. In this case, alternate arrangements can be made for critical care.