A recent survey has highlighted a significant hesitance among behavioral health executives to fully adopt real-time data gathering practices that are critical for guiding patient care and successfully implementing value-based care (VBC) arrangements. The findings reveal a disconnect between awareness of data-driven care methods and their consistent application across community mental health centers, pointing to key operational challenges facing the behavioral health sector. The survey, released by Portland-based Owl in partnership with the Mental Health Centers of America (MHCA), collected insights from nearly 100 executives representing community mental health centers in October 2021. The survey focused on executives’ attitudes toward behavioral health measurement-based care, value-based care arrangements, and the broader influence of systematic data collection on behavioral health clinic operations.
Owl, founded in 2013, is a cloud-based provider of behavioral health measurement-based care systems designed specifically for behavioral health providers. MHCA is a nonprofit association supporting behavioral health executives with a focus on innovation and leadership development in the C-suite. Together, their survey sheds light on the current state of data utilization in behavioral health and its implications for the future of care delivery.
Understanding Measurement-Based Care: Awareness Vs. Adoption
Behavioral health measurement-based care is defined by the survey as “the practice of using standardized measurements to assess behavioral health patients to inform treatment decisions.” This approach emphasizes collecting quantifiable patient data regularly to tailor treatment plans and track outcomes more effectively. Despite its recognized importance, the survey results show a stark contrast between knowledge and consistent use of behavioral health measurement-based care:
- 83% of respondents said their organizations had knowledge of behavioral health measurement-based care.
- Only 16% reported that their organizations consistently used it in clinical practice.
- About 54% admitted to using it inconsistently.
- Nearly 29% reported not using behavioral health measurement-based care at all.
These findings suggest that while behavioral health leaders recognize the value of standardized measurement, many organizations struggle with integrating these tools into routine workflows.
Mixed Results In Gathering Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures (PROMs)
Patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) represent an essential component of behavioral health measurement-based care. PROMs capture patients’ self-reported status regarding symptoms, functioning, and quality of life without clinician interpretation, offering a direct window into treatment effectiveness from the patient’s perspective.
The survey found that:
- 66% of respondents currently gather PROMs to support clinical decision-making.
- 34% do not collect PROMs at all.
- Among those gathering PROMs, 66% use electronic health records (EHRs).
- An additional 17% rely on paper forms or other methods.
This reliance on mixed data collection methods reveals ongoing challenges in streamlining data capture processes. Moreover, the survey noted that 28% of organizations are not gathering—or are unsure if they are gathering—data related to social determinants of health (SDOH), which are crucial for understanding the broader context affecting patients’ behavioral health outcomes.
Data Collection As A Pain Point For Behavioral Health Executives
The survey report explicitly states that gathering data to support clinical decision-making remains a significant pain point. The inconsistent use of behavioral health measurement-based care and PROMs, combined with uncertainty about collecting social determinants of health data, suggests many organizations face operational and technological hurdles.
The lack of standardized, real-time data collection processes not only affects clinical care quality but also undermines behavioral health organizations’ ability to meet external demands—particularly as healthcare shifts toward value-based care payment models that reward quality and outcomes rather than volume.
Organizational Priorities Vs. Capabilities: A Critical Divide
A notable finding in the survey is the mismatch between behavioral health organizations’ priorities and their actual capabilities to measure clinical outcomes effectively:
- For individual-level clinical outcome measurement:
49% rated it a high or medium priority.
Yet 62% rated their organization’s ability as medium or low. - For population-level clinical outcome measurement:
41% said it was a high or medium priority.
But 68% said their ability was medium or low.
This disparity indicates that many behavioral health providers understand the importance of outcome measurement but lack the infrastructure or trained personnel to execute it at scale.
The Importance Of Data In Value-Based Care
Value-based care is an emerging healthcare payment model where providers are reimbursed based on the quality and effectiveness of care delivered rather than the quantity of services provided. Behavioral health is increasingly moving toward these models, which emphasize improving patient outcomes, reducing costs, and demonstrating value.
Robust data collection and analysis through behavioral health measurement-based care are vital to success in value-based care arrangements. Providers must quantify clinical program effectiveness to negotiate contracts, justify reimbursement rates, and improve care quality. Without reliable measurement tools and consistent data, behavioral health organizations risk exclusion from VBC models or underpayment.
Executive Sentiment On Preparedness For Value-Based Care
The survey also gauged behavioral health executives’ feelings about their organizations’ readiness to engage in value-based care:
- 24% said they felt little or no preparation for value-based care arrangements.
- Another 24% felt well prepared.
- The remaining 52% felt moderately prepared.
Many executives expressed concerns about data collection challenges and the difficulty of proving treatment effectiveness through behavioral health measurement-based care, which are essential to thriving in value-based care environments.
Payment Barriers And The Case For Value-Based Reimbursement
The survey report underscores that payment models remain a major barrier to improving access to behavioral health services. Fee-for-service systems often fail to reward providers for improving population health or delivering efficient care.
Research supports a shift to value-based reimbursement as a solution to this problem. Value-based models can increase payments for providers who demonstrate improved outcomes and cost efficiencies, ultimately incentivizing better care delivery and broader access.
Conclusion: Bridging The Gap To Data-Driven Behavioral Health Care
The survey highlights a critical challenge facing behavioral health organizations: despite growing awareness of behavioral health measurement-based care and its vital role in value-based payment models, consistent data collection and utilization remain limited.
Behavioral health executives recognize the importance of using standardized measurements and patient-reported outcomes to inform care decisions and prove treatment effectiveness. Yet many struggle with inconsistent practices, outdated data collection methods, and insufficient infrastructure.
Closing this gap is essential for behavioral health providers to succeed in the evolving healthcare environment. Investing in technology, training, and leadership commitment to behavioral health measurement-based care can enable organizations to improve clinical outcomes, participate effectively in value-based care arrangements, and ultimately enhance the quality of care for the communities they serve.
As behavioral health moves forward, embracing real-time data gathering and analytics through behavioral health measurement-based care will not only support better individual patient care but also drive the systemic transformation needed to achieve greater access, equity, and value across the sector.
