An Examination of Transdisciplinary Implementation of Measurement-Based Care in a Veterans Affairs Healthcare System

Measurement-based care (MBC) is an effective pantheoretical practice framework that enhances mental health treatment outcome. MBC entails routine, systematic administration of standardized scales to measure patients' treatment response, inform clinical decisions, and tailor practice approaches and treatment planning to the individual needs of each patient. In 2016, the Office of Mental Health Operations and Mental Health Services in the Veterans Affairs Central Office launched the MBC in Mental Health Care Initiative. In accordance with this initiative, MBC was implemented within 2 mental health clinics at a large VA Health Care System in the southeastern United States. This program evaluation project examined the utilization of MBC measures across disciplines (i.e., psychiatry, psychology, social work) in the 2 clinics and clinicians' perspectives on MBC processes. Results suggested no significant differences between clinics in terms of rate of MBC measures administration. However, there were significant differences in the relative number of measures and the relative number of patients who were administered MBC measures across disciplines. Input from clinicians regarding their perspectives and experiences with the MBC implementation in their respective clinics were qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated, and barriers to MBC implementation were examined from the perspective of stakeholders.