title: Mental health quality and outcome measurement and improvement in Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study outlines the broad approach taken in Australia to improve the quality of mental health services, including the use of performance and outcome measures along with a range of other linked quality initiatives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The investment of Australia in a strategic national approach to mental health reform with a range of nationally coordinated quality initiatives has provided a firm foundation for continuing to engage governments, healthcare organizations and clinicians in the ongoing quest for quality and outcome measurement and improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Australia has adopted a strategic national approach to quality and outcome measurement and improvement of mental health services despite having a federated health system involving nine governments and tiered care across public and private sectors. A range of interconnected initiatives including national plans, standards and guidelines, performance indicators and outcomes measures and benchmarking and reporting processes are the key components of this nationally coordinated system.
authors.affiliation: ACT Health, Department of Psychological Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. peggy.brown@act.gov.au
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pirkis
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011787:Quality of Health Care