The Need to Prioritize Patient-Centered Care in Inpatient Psychiatry as a Matter of Social Justice

Morgan C Shields,Rinad S Beidas

doi:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.4461

Abstract

This Viewpoint discusses the need for payers and regulators to measure and prioritize patient-centered care in inpatient psychiatry to align incentives, supports, and standards as a way to motivate facilities and support staff in implementing evidence-based care.

Highlights

The US mental health care system, inpatient psychiatry that serves individuals in their greatest time of need, is broken
Staff want to provide helpful care, their ability to do so is constrained by organizational priorities, which, in turn, are influenced by the actions of payers and regulators. In this Viewpoint, we assert that patient-centered care (PCC) should be measured and prioritized as an outcome by payers and regulators through aligned incentives, supports, and standards as a way to motivate facilities and support staff in implementing evidence-based care environments
The absence of a focus on PCC by external accountability mechanisms is despite the fact that the saliency of PCC to other outcomes, such as effectiveness, safety, efficiency, and equity, is magnified in inpatient psychiatry

Summary

Introduction

The US mental health care system, inpatient psychiatry that serves individuals in their greatest time of need, is broken. In this Viewpoint, we assert that patient-centered care (PCC) should be measured and prioritized as an outcome by payers and regulators through aligned incentives, supports, and standards as a way to motivate facilities and support staff in implementing evidence-based care environments.

Results

Conclusion