Usefulness of symptom feedback to providers in an integrated primary care--mental health care clinic.
OBJECTIVE
Measurement-based care has been endorsed but not embraced in mental health settings. There is currently little guidance regarding the best methods to implement measurement-based care.


METHODS
A survey of mental health providers was conducted before (N=15) and after (N=17) the implementation of a patient self-report symptom measurement system.


RESULTS
At baseline, respondents rarely used the patient self-assessment information (mean±SD=1.8±1.8); they reported the patient data to be marginally useful (4.1±1.9), and only slightly recommended the use of patient assessments (4.3±2.0). Possible scores ranged from 1 to 7, with higher scores indicating more positivity. At follow-up, respondents almost always used the information in the assessments (6.3±1.7), found the patient report data very useful (6.4±.8), and highly recommended continued use of patient surveys in the integrated clinic (6.6±.5).


CONCLUSIONS
Providers' lack of enthusiasm about integration of routine data collection and reporting of patient symptoms may be overcome by simply exposing providers to this process.
White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center (WRJ VAMC), White River Junction, Vermont 05009, USA. lisa.zubkoff@dartmouth.edu
Lisa
L
Zubkoff
Yinong
Y
Young-Xu
Brian
B
Shiner
Andy
A
Pomerantz
Bradley V
BV
Watts
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D003625:Data Collection; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D005246:Feedback; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D057566:Self Report