Patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes as quality indicators for mental health services

In the United States, the patient has emerged as the central focus in evaluations of mental health services (Buckley, 1993). Whereas evaluation research in the 1980s emphasised the structure and process of mental health care, current evaluation research incorporates client-based measurements of treatment outcomes, such as symptom reduction, functional status and quality of life (Chisholm et al, 1997; Campbell, 1998). In addition, patient satisfaction with mental health services is increasingly used as an outcome dimension and an indicator of service quality (Center for Mental Health Services, 1996; Teague et al, 1997; Howard et al, 2003).