The healthcare industry may want to take a few notes from the U.S. Army when considering how to personalize mental health treatment, according to Harvard Business Review.
Here's what you need to know:
1. The U.S. Army uses a system called the Behavioral Health Data Portal to capture patient-reported data using standardized screening instruments. The system also allows for consistent monitoring and clinical decision support for personalized feedback.
2. The U.S. Army's management team for behavioral health services developed the standardized screening instruments based on feedback from psychiatrists, psychologists and licensed clinical social workers in the army. They also gave input on follow-up procedures for various conditions.
3. Although the U.S. Department of Defense uses a uniform EHR system, the U.S. Army integrated an additional information system into BHDP, since the EHR system does not collect data related to patient-reported mental health outcomes.
4. Those in the U.S. Army also receive care through clinical visits, during which providers can make notes in the system about the patient's information, progress or treatment options. The BHDP system assists providers by allowing for straightforward exchange of health information between treatment places and providers within the U.S. Army system.
5. Between a patient's self-reported data in the BHDP system and providers' notes on their perception of the patient's condition in the EHR system, the U.S. Army has a comprehensive way to examine, monitor and improve quality of care for prevalent diseases like post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and alcohol abuse.