title: Clinical status. Charting for outcomes in behavioral health.
abstract: This article summarizes the criteria that clinical outcome data must meet to be useful in the quest for empirical effectiveness data about mental health services. Although demand is high for such data, its potential usefulness is just beginning to be tapped. The mental health field presents unique challenges for implementing outcome tracking systems, for analyzing and reporting results, and for using results to improve the processes of care. Measuring outcomes will not automatically improve care or ensure quality. It may, however, provide information that will be useful in guiding efforts to improve the quality of mental health services.
authors.affiliation: Department of Performance Measurement, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Eisen
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014481:United States