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Development of a Technique for Measuring Quality of Mental Health Services

Jack Zusman, MD, MPH; Marlene R. Slawson, RN, EdM

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1972;27(5):692-698.

Abstract
Mental health service quality is divided into nine variables. These are physical environment, administrative structure and procedures, staff training and qualifications, staff commitment and morale, patient integrity and safety, appropriateness of treatment, patient satisfaction, short-term outcome, and relative cost.

The Service Quality Profile consists of an agency's scores for each of the variables. Work is in progress on appropriateness of treatment, patient satisfaction, and short-term outcome. Use of the Service Quality Profile can considerably strengthen the capability of public administrators and community representatives to allocate resources in a rational manner.

Author Affiliations
Buffalo, NY

From the Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York at Buffalo.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication April 6, 1972.

Based upon a paper read before the 1971 meeting of the American Public Health Association, Oct 13, 1971, Minneapolis.

Reprint requests to the Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York at Buffalo, 462 Grider St, Buffalo, NY 14215 (Dr. Zusman).