Why worry about “outcomes”?
CARF’s outcomes standards address patient satisfaction with services, effectiveness measures (is anyone improving and/or maintaining the quality of their lives), and efficiency measures (costs of services, utilization of services, access to services, etc.). They also address follow-up with patients after services end or the level of care changes. This is important feedback information for any organization. CARF outcomes standards speak to demonstrating the utilization of the data gathered to improve/change services. Criticisms of methadone treatment programs in the past have focused on the less than uniform state of methadone treatment in this country. By focusing on expected outcomes, programs will hopefully become more consistent in their approach to treatment, ineffective programs will be identified, and patients should benefit.
