title: [Empirical evidence for the effectiveness of Routine Outcome Monitoring. A study of the literature].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Routine Outcome Monitoring ROM is an important instrument for measuring the effectiveness of treatment and has been implemented in the Dutch mental health care system.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review the effectiveness of ROM with regard to diagnosis, treatment, and other outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The literature study focused on randomised controlled trials RCT's of ROM performed on patients of all age groups, some being general patients, others being psychiatric patients. The main search words were 'routine outcome monitoring' or 'routine outcome measurement'.
  
  
  RESULTS
  52 RCTs on adult patients were included in the study; 45 of these trials were performed on patients with mental health problems, but not always in a psychiatric setting or as primary outcome measure. rom appears to have positive effects on diagnosis and treatment and on the communication between patient and therapist. Other results were less clear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ROM seems to be particularly effective for the monitoring of treatments which have not been entirely successful. Further research needs to be done into the clinical and cost-effectiveness of ROM when used with adults and children who have mental health problems.
authors.affiliation: Centrum Onderzoek Routine Outcome Monitoring, Afdeling Psychiatrie, LUMC, Leiden. I.V.E.Carlier@lumc.nl
authors.forename: I V E
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Carlier
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meuldijk
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: van Vliet
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: van Fenema
authors.forename: N J A
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: van der Wee
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Zitman
mesh_terms: D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D009426:Netherlands; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000592:standards*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic