Prioritizing quality measure concepts at the interface of behavioral and physical healthcare.

OBJECTIVE: Integrated healthcare models can increase access to care, improve healthcare quality, and reduce cost for individuals with behavioral and general medical healthcare needs, yet there are few instruments for measuring the quality of integrated care. In this study, we identified and prioritized concepts that can represent the quality of integrated behavioral health and general medical care.

DESIGN: We conducted a literature review to identify candidate measure concepts. Experts then participated in a modified Delphi process to prioritize the concepts for development into specific quality measures.

SETTING: United States.

PARTICIPANTS: Expert behavioral health and general medical clinicians, decision-makers (policy, regulatory and administrative professionals) and patient advocates.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Panelists rated measure concepts on importance, validity and feasibility.

RESULTS: The literature review identified 734 measures of behavioral or general medical care, which were then distilled into 43 measure concepts. Thirty-three measure concepts (including a segmentation strategy) reached a predetermined consensus threshold of importance, while 11 concepts did not. Two measure concepts were 'ready for further development' ('General medical screening and follow-up in behavioral health settings' and 'Mental health screening at general medical healthcare settings'). Among the 31 additional measure concepts that were rated as important, 7 were rated as valid (but not feasible), while the remaining 24 concepts were rated as neither valid nor feasible.

CONCLUSIONS: This study identified quality measure concepts that capture important aspects of integrated care. Researchers can use the prioritization process described in this study to guide healthcare quality measures development work.