Measuring quality in mental health services.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare research
• Quality improvement science

Background:

• Measuring healthcare quality is crucial for patient outcomes.
• There's a need for greater involvement of evaluators in quality research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a special issue focused on measuring quality of care.
• To encourage increased participation of evaluators in quality-of-care research.
• To explore conceptual aspects and future trends in quality measurement.

Main Methods:

• This special issue comprises conceptual discussions.
• It includes descriptions of current quality measurement initiatives.
• Features a report on quality measurement in Great Britain and research reports.

Main Results:

• The issue addresses conceptual challenges in quality assessment.
• It reviews existing governmental and private quality measurement efforts.
• Presents international perspectives and empirical research findings.

Conclusions:

• Increased evaluator presence is vital for advancing quality of care research.
• The future of quality measurement requires addressing conceptual issues and expanding research.
• This issue provides a foundation for future quality improvement endeavors.