Predictive analytics to direct clinical attention to complex patients with elevated suicide risk

Suicide is a major public health concern, particularly among Veterans. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration (VHA) employs the Recovery Engagement and Coordination for Health–Veterans Enhanced Treatment (REACH VET) model to prioritize high-risk patients for targeted clinical attention.

This study presents REACH VET (Recovery Engagement and Coordination for Health Veterans Enhanced Treatment) 2.0, a
substantially updated model developed using a contemporary population of more than 7 million Veterans observed between
2016 and 2019 and incorporating 650 time varying clinical, demographic and area-level predictors.

Using advanced ensemble methods, the model demonstrates improved case identification, greater risk concentration and equitable
performance across demographic groups.

By enabling national deployment focused on actionable risk stratification, REACH VET 2.0 helps define a cohort of Veterans at high risk for suicide and other serious health events, enabling proactive targeted support.

Read more about this article here: https://mentalhealth.bmj.com/content/ebmental/29/1/e302338.full.pdf