Improving Treatment Planning

Treatment plans are a critical part of the recovery-based model of care for mental health patients. This State-run psychiatric hospital wished to improve the treatment planning process to increase treatment quality and reduce recidivism. A cross-functional team was formed to tackle this problem via a Rapid Improvement Event. Physicians, Mental Health Technicians, community-based mental health providers, patients and families all provided input to create an understanding of how the process was currently operating and identify areas for improvement.

In just a week the team was able to develop a more streamlined process for developing a master treatment plan within 3 days of patient admission. Standardized treatment guidelines were put in place, helping ensure greater process consistency and improved collaboration. New positions were created for Treatment Fidelity and Outcomes Coordinators. Most importantly, patients saw a significant increase in their ability to help determine how effective their treatment plans were through real time (weekly) feedback loops. These clinical outcome measures ensure modifications can be made before any recidivism occurs and will be evidence based data for the teams to use going forward.