title: Performance monitoring of substance use disorder interventions in the Veterans Health Administration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Measuring and improving the quality of treatment for patients with substance use disorders are enduring challenges.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article describes how the Veterans Affairs health care system is using incentivized performance measures to promote more effective delivery of interventions for nicotine, illegal drug, and alcohol disorders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The monitoring and incentive system has increased the delivery of evidence-based services, including screening for alcohol use disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further work remains to be done to strengthen the connection between process-based measures and longer-term patient outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Care Evaluation, Veterans Affairs, Stanford University Medical Centers, Palo Alto, California 94025, USA. KNH@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Humphreys
authors.forename: Alex H S
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Kivlahan
mesh_terms: D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000534:rehabilitation; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards