Improving Mental Health Care: Commitment to Quality

From our regular book review column.

In health care, the problem of quality is similar to the problem of weather: everyone talks about it, but no one does anything about it. This complaint has 3 root causes. First, the term quality has no agreed-upon definition, and therefore can be used to further multiple agendas. Second, quality has been overshadowed by the compelling issue of cost containment. Third, while he business world has had its Jurans and Demings, the imperative to enhance quality in health care has suffered from a relative lack of heroes. Such figures have been particularly absent among practitioners and leaders in the mental health field, who have shouted themselves hoarse about managed care but who have largely ignored the challenge to improve practice through changing the way clinicians treat patients. The editors of this fine book suggest it is time for the professional community to respond to this challenge.