Hospital Report 2007: Mental Health

The Hospital Report 2007: Mental Health is now available.  The third in a series, this comprehensive report uses a balanced scorecard approach (a performance planning and measurement framework that monitors organizations using a combination of financial and non financial measures) to provide information on the performance of 86 per cent of Ontario hospitals with inpatient psychiatric services.  For the first time, this report highlights individual hospital performance and also provides analyses and results at the provincial and LHIN level.  This valuable hospital performance measure is available, thanks to the hard work and expertise of CAMH research and administrative staff. 

Dr. Elizabeth Lin and Dr. Janet Durbin worked with a province-wide team of health care providers, managers, and researchers -- including current and former CAMH staff Paula Goering, Peter Prendergast, Moira Teed, Terrie Tucker, Scott Veldhuizen, Peggie Willett, and Natalia Zaslavska -- to develop the report’s 23 indicators and 14 contextual variables.  Drs. Lin and Durbin also visited 14 hospitals spread geographically across the province, gathering their feedback on using the balanced scorecard approach and ensuring the indicators were applicable. The scientists analyzed provincial health databases and also implemented two surveys in order to capture information examining inpatient mental health and addictions care in four equally important areas: System Integration and Change, Clinical Utilization and Outcomes, Patient Perception of Care, and Financial Performance and Condition.

The main objective for the Hospital Report 2007: Mental Health is providing information to hospitals to support quality improvement. As Drs. Lin and Durbin explain, the report provides performance measures that flag potential areas for change.  Hospitals then need to further investigate factors influencing their results and potential remedial actions.  Drilling down to the root cause of an indicator score presents an opportunity for improvement, planning for intervention and monitoring the indicator outcomes for change over time.

This report aligns the approach for performance monitoring for mental health and addictions inpatient care with that of other inpatient sectors (acute care, rehabilitation, etc) in Ontario by using the same framework.It also provides the necessary empirical data to leverage systems planning and advocacy initiatives.  And through its focus on post discharge outcomes, the Hospital Report 2007: Mental Health is maintaining the mental health and addiction field’s strong tradition of looking at health care from a broad perspective. 

For more information, including a copy of the report, visit Hospital Report 2007: Mental Health. 

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