background Routine outcome monitoring (rom) is becoming an integral part of many treatment procedures. In order to promote the use of rom in such procedures attention needs to focus more on the functions of rom than on implementation strategies.
aim To clarify what functions rom must be able to perform for the clinician and client if it is to be used routinely.
method We discuss the functions of rom as described in the literature.
results The fundamental role of rom is to signal that the client is not responding satisfactorily to treatment. Therefore, rom has to perform three main functions: 1. predict, at any moment, whether the goal will be reached via the current route; 2. provide, at crucial moments, correct and meaningful information about what options are available that will make it easier to achieve the desired goals; 3. integration - in such a way that the system can be used routinely and will switch on automatically when treatments starts.
conclusion rom seems to be able to provide a range of functions that are urgently required by clinicians and their clients.