A framework for evidence-based mental health care and policy

Care planning integrates a growing number of disciplines, research fields and analysis techniques. A framework of the main areas of interest with regard to evidence-based health care in mental health is provided here.

The framework is based on the experience of working with data analysts and health and social decision makers at the PSICOST/RIRAG network, a Spanish research association which includes psychiatrists, health economists and health policy experts, as well as on a review of the literature.

Three main areas have been identified and described here: outcomes management, knowledge discovery from data, and decision support systems. Their use in mental health care is reviewed.

It is important to promote bridging strategies among these new fields in order to enhance communication and information transfer between the different parts involved in mental health decision making: i) clinicians and epidemiologists, ii) data analysts, iii) care policy makers and other end-users.