Australasian Psychiatry · 2006 · 12 citations · 4 references
PharmacyHealth Care ManagementHealth Services AdministrationHealth Services ResearchMental Health CareOutcomes ResearchClinical Outcome AssessmentHealth Care Performance MeasurementHealth Outcomes MeasurementHealth Status MeasurementMental HealthOutcome MeasurementClinical Outcome MeasurementConsumer ManagementMental Health ServicesMental Health Status AssessmentOutcome MeasuresPatient-reported Outcome MeasurementService ImprovementService Outcome Measurement
OBJECTIVE: To reflect on the surge of interest in 'outcomes' in mental health services. CONCLUSIONS: Reliable assessments underpin the ability to measure change in clinically relevant health status, and no single measure can represent all relevant variables. The measure of change should be regarded as only one part of a larger and dynamic process. Consumer management and service quality improvement activities may be better enhanced by placing emphasis on assessing those domains, which will inform the development of potential clinical management plans, in a quantitative fashion. Where indicated, repeated assessment will provide information which will inform individual patient care, and by grouping data, service planning and continuous improvement activities.
4