Coordination of care and early adolescent eating disorder treatment outcomes

A multidisciplinary approach for the treatment of adolescent eating disorders is essential; however, care coordination places a high demand on providers, and limited research on the impact of care coordination on treatment outcomes exists. This study compared weight gain in the first four months of outpatient treatment for 171 adolescents ([M.sub.age] = 14.54 years) diagnosed with restrictive eating disorders a full multidisciplinary team treated either at a single clinic or at multiple locations. Adolescents who received treatment at a single clinic evidenced greater weight gain than those treated at multiple locations within the first four months of care. Differential outcomes suggest that closer coordination of care enhances early treatment outcomes for adolescents with eating disorders. Keywords: adolescents, care coordination, eating disorders, outcomes