Measurement based care behavioral health is an evidence-based practice that helps providers track, inform, and improve treatment outcomes with standardized measurement tools. It can help patients recognize their progress and provide objective proof that their treatment plan is working.
MBC provides a more effective form of mental health care, and it is becoming the standard in many healthcare settings. This is because it enables practices to achieve better patient outcomes, and it also allows for greater reimbursement from insurance carriers.
Behavioral health clinicians should consider measuring patient symptoms frequently and consistently. It can improve their treatment results by allowing them to adjust their treatment plans based on the patient’s response to therapy. It can also help them engage patients and create more meaningful relationships with them.
The best way to do this is through symptom rating scales that have been validated by research. They can be used to assess a wide range of symptoms, including depression and other anxiety disorders. They can be easily administered and will often have established scoring thresholds.
They are sensitive to symptom changes over time and can be displayed in graphical formats that are easy for patients to understand. This can improve engagement and make patients feel they have a voice in their own treatment.
This approach also helps providers be more accountable for their work, which can lead to stronger relationships with payers. This can lead to increased staff retention and higher reimbursement rates.
There are several ways to implement MBC in a behavioral health practice, such as through a robust EHR that can automate the process of administering and tracking outcome measures. It is important to choose a tool that can automatically gather and report these measurements in a manner that makes them simple to interpret.
MBC can help address health disparities by using symptom rating scales that have been culturally validated in low-income or minority populations. It can also help to foster communication between providers and their patients, which may be particularly beneficial for those who are not able to speak up during counseling sessions.
It can increase patient engagement by giving patients the opportunity to express their feelings and emotions. It can also provide a more accurate picture of their current health status, which can help them to feel less self-blame.
In addition, it can improve clinician effectiveness by providing data that is more objective and helps to prevent bias from the clinical staff who conduct the surveys. It can also help to reduce the number of errors that occur in clinical procedures, which can improve patient safety and quality of care.
The goal of implementing MBC in your practice is to improve the patient-clinician relationship and increase efficiency by providing objective data that supports every decision made during a session. Behavioral health clinicians can use this data to ensure that their treatment plans are aligned with patient needs, which will ultimately improve their patient’s experience of the treatment process.
Measurement based care is quickly becoming the standard of practice, and it can be implemented with minimal effort or time by any mental health practitioner. It can improve patient outcomes, and it can increase your revenue by ensuring that you are utilizing your time to its fullest potential.