Perspective on evaluation: readmission rates to community mental health centers as a measure of program effectiveness.
The noncritical utilization of readmission figures as presently collected to evaluate community mental health centers is questioned in this report. Several issues are raised concerning the validity and reliability of readmission rate figures collected at the community mental health center level. The paper argues that these issues must be addressed prior to the utilization of readmission rates as an indicator of success or failure for community mental health centers.
D003155:Community Mental Health Centers / Q000592:standards*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010359:Patient Readmission; D014481:United States