Mental Health Care Consumer Values and Preferences Regarding the Use of Provider Performance Data

Mental Health Care Consumer Values and Preferences Regarding the Use of Provider Performance Data

This study snapshot outlines findings from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded research examining mental health care patients’ attitudes and preferences regarding the use of provider outcome and performance information, and the relative values placed on providers’ performance track record compared to other potentially important provider/treatment factors.

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Research shows that there is significant variability in mental health clinicians’ overall and domain specific effectiveness with their patients. Despite a push to move towards total performance data transparency that informs patient treatment decision-making, mental health patients rarely have access to clinician performance data.

James Boswell, Ph.D. and his colleagues at the University at Albany, SUNY and University of Massachusetts Amherst found that patients value provider performance track records, lower costs, a positive alliance, symptom relief, lower side effects, and convenient travel when making mental health treatment decisions. The researchers surveyed diverse mental health care consumers’ to explore their attitudes and preferences regarding the use of provider outcome and performance information, and the relative values placed on providers’ performance track record compared to other potentially important provider/treatment factors.

The full results of the study are available in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

This project is funded as part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s solicitation “Optimizing Value in Health Care: Consumer-focused Trends from the Field,” which is managed by AcademyHealth.