Treatment progress indicator: application of a new assessment tool to objectively monitor the therapeutic progress of patients with depression, anxiety, or behavioral health impairment

Abstract

Depression, anxiety, and behavioral health impairment are common in the US. Efforts to treat patients with depression, anxiety, and chemical dependency are surpassed by the great demand for psychiatrist and therapist appointments. Unlike other specialties, psychiatry lacks a vital sign or tests (eg, blood pressure for hypertension and hemoglobin A1c for diabetes) to objectively measure a patient's response to therapy. A new tool called the Treatment Progress Indicator (TPI) appears to offer clinicians an objective approach to assess patients and to monitor therapy over time. The TPI report shows an Expected Treatment Response that allows clinicians to compare their patients' responses to therapy with those of a cohort of patients with a similar diagnosis and severity. The TPI allows for objective population-level management of disease. This should result in sharing of best practices that will lead to more effective and efficient care plans. Widespread implementation of the TPI has the potential to improve the time required to diagnose conditions and triage patients. As a result, implementation of the tool has the potential to improve behavioral health access and affordability.