title: [Operationalized psychodynamic diagnostic (OPD)--potential for quality assurance].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Psychotherapy is subjected to the legal conditions of quality assurance(QA). Does operationalized psychodynamic diagnostics (OPD) contribute substantially to this?
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the application of OPD in outpatient psychodynamic psychotherapy, inpatient treatment, rehabilitation, and legal assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Psychodynamic diagnostics, treatment plan, and evaluation by means of the OPD and Heidelberg Structural Change Scale (HSCS) may be comprehensibly described for quality assurance (QA) of outpatient and inpatient psychotherapy. Virtually all psychodynamic conceptualized departments for psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy as well as some rehabilitation centres applied OPD. Furthermore, data-collection periods were defined during and after inpatient short- and long-term psychotherapy. OPD serves QA in legal assessment and is of a pivotal significance in judicial proceedings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It must be deliberated whether more extensive use of QA, in cooperation with outpatient psychotherapists and in comparison to institutions, could be of benefit to patients.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Domagkstrasse 22, 48149 Münster, Germany. heuftge@mednet.uni-muenster.de
authors.forename: Gereon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heuft
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jakobsen
authors.forename: Reinholde
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kriebel
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rudolf
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010343:Patient Admission; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000592:standards; D011574:Psychoanalytic Theory; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards; D016896:Treatment Outcome