Measurement-based care is the process of using symptom rating scale data to identify and address changes in patient progress during treatment. Recent studies by the Kennedy Forum support the effectiveness of measurement-based care in the treatment of addiction. The Joint Commission, the nation’s most significant medical services accreditation and certification organization, made measurement-based care a requirement in 2018.
When patients complete symptom rating scales before seeing therapists, and when therapists review the results of these patient surveys, important changes in attitudes and mental health indicators can be identified throughout treatment. The ability to identify changing patient perceptions in real time allows healthcare providers to address new issues before they get worse.
Use of measurement-based care can reduce rates of patients discontinuing treatment against medical advice, increase the overall productivity of treatment stays, and improve overall care outcomes. At Futures, measurement-based care data is used to achieve highly personalized care. Information about individual patients is shared amongst the patient’s care team to continuously identify opportunities to target additional therapies and ensure that the current care plan is effective.
Futures’ clinicians use the Brief Addiction Monitor (BAM) survey instrument, a 17-item multidimensional questionnaire. Patients may complete the survey themselves using a computer, or clinicians can ask patients the questions and record their responses. By comparing a patient’s previous BAM survey responses with responses collected later in treatment, clinicians can determine how patients are progressing or if they may need additional treatment.
Use of measurement-based care is part of Future’s overall evidence-based practice. The highly trained and licensed clinical team utilizes best practices and evidence-based therapies. Clinicians receive ongoing education in their practice areas and regularly attend workshops and conferences to introduces new and effective techniques into Futures’ programming.