Abstract
This study explored mental health care patients and therapists’ perspectives on using therapists’ measurement-based and problem-specific effectiveness data to inform case assignments – a type of treatment personalization that has been shown to outperform non-measurement-based case assignment as usual (Constantino et al., 2021). We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 8 patients (75% women; M age = 33.75 years) and 8 therapists (75% women; M age = 47.50 years). The interview protocols were unique to stakeholder group. Recorded responses were transcribed and qualitatively analyzed by four judges using a blend of consensual qualitative research and grounded theory methods. Derived patient domains included preferred characteristics of a provider, and experiences and suggestions regarding provider selection. Within the domains, most patients expressed an interest in accessing more specific provider information online. Additionally, most patients indicated that both provider outcome track records and personal preference information (e.g., therapist characteristics) should be considered in the therapist selection process. All patients endorsed being comfortable with having the ability to select a provider based on a list of empirically well-matched recommendations. Derived therapist domains included using routine outcomes monitoring for patient-provider matching, referral source and direct patient use of preferred provider lists, and improvements to the provider selection process. Within the domains, all therapists remarked that outcome data would be useful for matching patients to providers; however, most also indicated that outcome data should not be the only factor used in provider selection. All therapists expressed a willingness to be included in preferred provider lists that incorporate track record data. Overall, both patients and therapists held generally positive views toward using therapist effectiveness data to help personalize mental health care. Yet, both stakeholder groups acknowledged that other personalization factors should be considered alongside these data. Based on these results, our team is in the process of implementing patient-therapist match strategies in larger and more diverse mental health care contexts.
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Acknowledgements
Research reported in this article was supported by a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Award (IHS-1503-28573). The statements in this article are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of PCORI, its Board of Governors, or Methodology Committee. This study was also supported by a grant from Division 29 (The Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy) of the American Psychological Association.
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James Boswell, Michael Constantino, and David Kraus contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by James Boswell, Michael Constantino, Carly Schwartzman, Brittany King, Adela Scharff, Heather Muir, and Averi Gaines. The first draft of the manuscript was written by James Boswell and all authors have contributed to subsequent versions of the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
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This report followed the Standard for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR; O’Brien et al., 2014) guidelines. Dr. Kraus is the founder, president, and chief scientific officer of Outcome Referrals, Inc, which owns and processes the Treatment Outcome Package. No other known conflicts of interest or competing interests are reported.
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This report followed the Standard for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR; O’Brien et al., 2014) guidelines. Dr. Kraus is the founder, president, and chief scientific officer of Outcome Referrals, Inc, which owns and processes the Treatment Outcome Package. No other known conflicts of interest are reported. This study involved human subjects. The study was reviewed and approved by a university institutional review board (IRB) and all participants provided informed consent prior to participation.
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Boswell, J.F., Schwartzman, C.M., Constantino, M.J. et al. A Qualitative Analysis of Stakeholder Attitudes Regarding Personalized Provider Selection and Patient-Therapist Matching. Adm Policy Ment Health (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-023-01302-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-023-01302-w