Premium
Consumer attitudes towards the use of routine outcome measures in a public mental health service: A consumer‐driven study
Author(s) -
Guthrie David,
McIntosh Mishka,
Callaly Tom,
Trauer Tom,
Coombs Tim
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
international journal of mental health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.911
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1447-0349
pISSN - 1445-8330
DOI - 10.1111/j.1447-0349.2008.00516.x
Subject(s) - outcome (game theory) , scale (ratio) , mental health , service (business) , health care , psychology , medicine , psychiatry , marketing , business , physics , mathematics , mathematical economics , quantum mechanics , economics , economic growth
In this study conducted by consumer consultants, 50 consumers who have a Barwon Health case manager (the majority of whom were nurses) were interviewed using a structured questionnaire to ascertain their attitudes towards the routine use of outcome measures. Forty participants (80% of those interviewed) reported they had been offered the Behaviour and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS‐32) to complete in routine care by their case managers and of those, 95% (n = 38) completed it. On those who completed the BASIS‐32, 42% said their case manager had explained what the BASIS‐32 would be used for, 45% said that the case manager had discussed their responses with them, 76% stated that completing the BASIS‐32 had helped the case manager to understand them better and 66% believed that completing the BASIS‐32 had led to them receiving better care. Only 30% of the group interviewed were aware that their case manager regularly completed a Health of the Nation Outcome Scales and Life Skills Profile. Feedback about the process of completing the BASIS‐32 was obtained as well as suggestions on how the process may be improved. The results indicate that consumers see the benefit of routine outcome measurement and believe it leads to improved care. More information about outcome measures, including the clinician‐rated outcome measures, needs to be provided to consumers if they are to be engaged constructively in this exercise.