title: Measuring the quality of mental health care: consensus perspectives from selected industrialized countries.
abstract: This international initiative sought to develop a consensus framework of mental health quality measures. The 656 quality measures identified via literature review were narrowed to 36 measurement concepts. A modified Delphi process was used to rate these for validity, importance, and feasibility. The highest rated concepts for validity and importance included 7-day follow-up after inpatient discharge, involuntary/compulsory hospitalization, seclusion, death rates, medication adherence, medication errors, and restraint. Importance and validity scores were correlated, with importance scores higher than validity scores. Further work is needed to develop and implement a core set of measures for international comparison of mental health quality.
authors.affiliation: UCLA Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars, 10940 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 710, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA, sharu@ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Sharat G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Parameswaran
authors.forename: Brigitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spaeth-Rublee
authors.forename: Harold Alan
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Pincus
mesh_terms: D000359:Aftercare; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D003697:Delphi Technique; D019049:Developed Countries; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008508:Medication Errors; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010356:Patient Isolation; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012149:Restraint, Physical