The Client, the Clinician, and the Computer

Abstract

Informatics have transformed society, but barely touched mental health care. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) implemented a fully electronic medical record. In disorders such as diabetes, the VHA uses electronic data on patient characteristics, laboratory tests, prescriptions, and procedures to assess treatment quality. By using these assessments within a quality improvement infrastructure, the VHA has become a national leader in the provision of high-quality care. If mental health care is to catch up, managers need to have the will to implement informatics tools. At clinics, clients could be using computer kiosks that evaluate their clinical status and preferences and provide education. Clinicians could be using electronic medical records that provide access to client information, graphs of client change over time, reminders when treatments are overlooked, and educational updates. Shared decision making requires an educated client plus a competent clinician who is willing to collaborate. We must remake our organizations so that they value client requests and offer services that meet client needs and preferences. Informatics tools can support this transformation by making client data routinely available and ensuring that the data are used to resolve barriers encountered every day by clinicians and clients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)