This month, we’re exploring the importance of quality improvement (QI) Initiatives in behavioral health. While primary care has long embraced standardized quality measures, behavioral health has been slower to adopt measurement-based care. However, QI initiatives have the potential to enhance behavioral health outcomes and ensure equitable, effective care. They can:
- Promote the use of evidence-based practices,
- Improve patient engagement and satisfaction,
- Identify and address disparities in care delivery.
Technology—especially electronic health records (EHRs)—is a powerful enabler of QI. Beyond data capture, technology supports QI efforts by:
- Enhancing clinical decision-making through data analysis and evidence-based treatment recommendations.
- Tracking progress using electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs).
- Increasing patient engagement and access via patient portals, telehealth platforms, and symptom monitoring tools.
- Facilitating real-time, interoperable health information exchange.
Behavioral health providers don’t have to navigate QI alone. For instance, a widely used eCQM is Preventive Care and Screening: Tobacco Use: Screening and Cessation Intervention (eCQI Resource Center 2023). While many behavioral health providers screen for tobacco use, follow-up interventions are often overlooked. Resources like the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention (UW-CTRI) offer evidence-based tools and support to close this gap.
Ready to learn more or start your QI project? Contact Behavioral Health Connect—we're here to help.