Measurement-Based Care in Psychiatry

Measurement-based care (MBC) uses patient-reported rating scales in conjunction with evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to provide an objective assessment of patient progress over time to guide a more precise plan of care. Use of MBC is routine in medical disease management. Unfortunately, MBC is not standard practice in psychiatric care. The current nonsystematic approach to the delivery of mental health care has created considerable variability in practice and may stall recovery. Although MBC has proven benefits, there are perceived barriers to its implementation. Greater research is needed to standardize psychiatric measures and clinical practice guidelines and determine the most effective implementation strategies. A review of the literature was conducted to (a) provide an overview of MBC and relevant screening tools; (b) examine the clinical use of MBC, including its relevance to evidence-based clinical guidelines and empirical support; and (c) detail the benefits and challenges of MBC implementation. As mental health care moves in the direction of value-driven incentives, it will be important for providers and organizations to consider MBC as an evidence-based framework to reduce variability in psychiatric treatment and improve patient outcomes. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 55(11), 30-35.].