Financial efficacy of clinical assessment: Rational guidelines and issues for future research

✍ Scribed by Gary Groth-Marnat

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 66 KB
• Volume: 55
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9762
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4679(199907)55:7<813::aid-jclp4>3.0.co;2-b

✦ Synopsis

Whereas the financial efficacy of assessment has been well documented in industrial/organizational settings, there is no comparable literature within the field of clinical assessment. This has become a significant issue due to the increasing cost-consciousness of managed health care organizations. A rational means of increasing the financial efficacy of assessment is outlined, which includes the following: (a) focus on domains most relevant to treatment planning and outcome; (b) use formal assessment for risk management; (c) target problems most likely to result in cost savings (i.e., dissociation, somatization, panic); (d) increase the use of computerassisted assessment; (e) use time-efficient instruments; (f ) more closely link assessment, feedback, and therapy; and (g) integrate treatment planning, monitoring progress, and evaluating outcome. Issues and strategies for developing a research program include clearly defining what should be considered a cost, enumerating possible outcome variables, optimal follow-up time frame, selection of instruments, and the function of assessment.