title: Cost-effectiveness index (CEI): a tool to help evaluate mental health programs.
abstract: A method for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of mental health programs is presented. The method takes into account the profile of mental health services a patient receives, the frequency of each service and the relative costs of each service in relation to the change in a patient's clinical condition between entrance into and release from a treatment program. It can also be used to assess change over a specified time period. An example compares the cost-effectiveness index (CEI) for similar cohorts of schizophrenia patients treated in two 24-hour acute care psychiatric systems. The CEI can use either actual dollar costs, if known, or a relative value scale associated with different services. Its utility and weaknesses are discussed. The CEI is designed to alert management to differences in the relative cost-effectiveness of programs serving populations of similar patients. Identification of such differences can contribute to improvement in program functioning.
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D002140:California; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D003625:Data Collection; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000191:economics; D015895:Relative Value Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy