Mental health quality, outcome measurement, and improvement in Germany.
OBJECTIVE
The German mental healthcare system is currently undergoing discussions regarding the assessment of mental healthcare quality and the identification of potentials for optimizing mental healthcare. Quality assurance projects play an important role in the optimization of the care for the mentally ill in Germany. This review describes the most recent results of quality assurance programs from Germany as identified by a systematic literature search covering the time span 1 January 2008 until 1 June 2009.


RESULTS
The German mental healthcare system is characterized by a high degree of structural quality. Quality assurance research in German mental healthcare is multifaceted and several projects are underway to determine the cost-effectiveness of procedures in mental healthcare and the development of quality indicators.


CONCLUSIONS
In Germany, mental healthcare research is a rapidly developing field. Potentials for improvements can be identified in the assessment of process and outcome quality, the regional distribution, and the coordination among service providers. More studies are needed to identify the best methods to assess quality in mental healthcare with a view to improve process and outcome quality.
Gaebel
Wolfgang
W
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany. wolfgang.gaebel@uni-duesseldorf.de
Janssen
Birgit
B
Zielasek
Jürgen
J
D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011787:Quality of Health Care