Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #115953

Peter Beilenson, MD, MPH¹, Elaine K. Swift, PhD², Robert Schwartz, MD³, Melisa Lindamood, MPS¹, Jerome H. Jaffe, MD⁴, and Bonnie L. Cypull, LCSW². (1) Administration, Baltimore City Health Department, 210 Guilford Avenue, 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202, (2) Research and Evaluation, Baltimore Substance Abuse Systems, 1 North Charles St., Suite 1600, Baltimore, MD 21202, (3) Friends Research Institute, 1040 Park Avenue, Suite 103, Baltimore, MD 21201, 410-837-3977, rzschwartz@friendssocialresearch.org, (4) Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, U. Md. School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., 1-005, Baltimore, MD 21201

There is a consensus among scholars, providers, policy makers, and advocates that city-wide substance abuse treatment systems urgently need to develop and implement science-based performance improvement processes to improve patient outcomes, spend funds effectively, and support advocacy efforts. For the past five years, Baltimore's DrugStat program has been a national leader in using evidence-based quality measures to monitor and improve the performance of its 60 publicly funded providers. The measures in key areas such as treatment retention, drug testing, and social outcomes were formulated and continue to be reviewed by a panel of nationally recognized experts. Providers of different treatment modalities meet quarterly with Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Peter Beilenson to examine measure results and to consider plans for improvement. Patient outcomes by clinic and by treatment modality guide focused, city-wide quality interventions. In addition, they provide the basis for policy making and advocacy for increased public funding.

This paper will examine the development of the DrugStat program, with a focus on lessons learned. In particular, it will look at issues including integrating scientific expertise in measure development and quality improvement interventions, encouraging the use of measures to manage and improve treatment programs, and making an impact on public funding.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify technical, organizational, and political challenges of designing and implementing a city-wide evidence-based performance improvement system.
• Identify specific components of an evidence-based system that can address those challenges.
• Assess the impact of an evidence-based system on provider performance, patient outcomes, and advocacy efforts for treatment expansion.

Keywords: Evidence Based Practice, Drug Abuse Treatment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation