title: Performance measures for alcohol and other drug services.
abstract: Performance measures, which evaluate how well health care practitioners' actions conform to practice guidelines, medical review criteria, or standards of quality, can be used to improve access to treatment and the quality of treatment for people with alcohol and other drug problems. This article examines different types of quality measures, how they fit within the continuum of care, and the types of data that can be used to arrive at these measures. The Washington Circle measures--identification, initiation of treatment, and treatment engagement--are a widely used set of performance measures.
authors.affiliation: Center for Behavioral Health, Schneider Institute for Health Policy, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Garnick
authors.forename: Constance M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Horgan
authors.forename: Mady
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chalk
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000628:therapy*; D019090:Case Management; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D003376:Counseling; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008485:Medical Audit; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D014481:United States