background Routine outcome measurement or monitoring (rom) has attracted worldwide attention largely as a result of developments in the field of quality care and scientific research.
aim To provide insight into the significance of rom for Dutch mental health care.
method We consulted scientific literature on the following subjects: research and its applicability for clinical practice, quality improvement, rom instruments and their implementation.
results ROM means that the outcomes of treatment and care are measured routinely as part of the plan-do-check-act cycle aimed at quality improvement. Measurement instruments are selected on clinical, scientific and practical grounds. rom can be used in four main ways: for the treatment of individual patients, for the testing of policy, for benchmarking and for research. With regards to the implementation of rom, a combined top-down, bottom-up approach is preferable to an entirely top-down or bottom-up approach.
conclusion ROM can help to improve the quality of mental health care because it involves the standardized use of outcome measures and comprehensive databases.