Improving quality in psychotherapy

Author(s): Shaha, S.

Journal/Book: Psychotherapy. 1996; 33: 3900 E Camelback Rd #200, Phoenix, AZ 85018. Amer Psychological Assoc, Div Psychotherapy. 225-236.

Abstract: Quality improvement in psychotherapy is a timely endeavor. The often maligned managed care movement may have the effect of stimulating higher quality outpatient care. Quality Improvement and quality assurance should be contrasted: Quality assurance is argued to be counterproductive and inefficient, quality improvement is relevant and useful. Quality improvement may stimulate better compliance with treatment protocols. Academic clinical psychology has produced treatment protocols and indicators of good psychotherapy but these are widely ignored by the practicing psychotherapist as unwieldy and impractical. Continuous Quality Improvement is a behavioral data-driven technology that can be applied to mental health services. The present article gives an example of nonadversarial data-driven process and outcome improvements. A shift of paradigm toward feedback loops in psychotherapy, collecting data of therapeutic change and patient satisfaction at each session, guides therapy. Data collected cannot only help guide the individual sessions and can be collected to establish a dose-effect relationship for a particular therapist, or for a clinic or group. Such information has been used to eliminate outpatient managed care.

Note: Article LD Johnson, Brief Therapy Ctr, 166 E 5900 S, Ste B-108, Salt Lake City, UT 84107 USA

Keyword(s): HEALTH-CARE; IMPROVEMENT; RECOVERY

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