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In our recent study, we explored how integrating measurement-based care, benchmarking, and continuous quality improvement (CQI) can enhance treatment outcomes for depression within specialized mental healthcare settings.

Study Overview

Conducted across two outpatient mental health clinics in Stockholm, Sweden, we analyzed data from 415 patients undergoing treatment for depression. Initially, patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) indicated that treatment effects were significantly lower compared to a meta-analytic benchmark (Hedge’s g = 0.87 to 1.01 vs. g = 1.51).

Intervention and Results

By implementing a CQI framework that utilized routine PROMs and benchmarking (see graph below) we observed notable improvements in treatment outcomes. Post-intervention, the treatment effects increased (Hedge’s g = 1.25 to 1.27), aligning closely with the benchmark and demonstrating the effectiveness of this integrated approach.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that combining measurement-based care with systematic quality improvements can significantly enhance depression treatment outcomes in specialized settings. This approach offers a practical pathway to bridge the gap between clinical research and real-world practice.

This study was conducted in close collaboration with Lisa Wahlström Amneus and Ida Viklund at WeMind, Erik Andersson from Karolinska Institutet and professor Lars-Göran Öst from Stockholm Univeristy.

For a detailed exploration of our methodology and findings, you can access the full preprint here: https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5797396/v1.

Reference:
Fabian Lenhard, Lisa Wahlström Amneus, Ida Viklund et al. Enhancing Clinical Depression Treatment Outcomes: A Comprehensive Approach using Measurement-based Care, Research Benchmarks, and Systematic Quality Improvements, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5797396/v1]