Impact of an automated information management system on a mental health service delivery system

Most public and private health care decision-makers have begun to require mental health delivery systems to demonstrate performance to receive funding. It was observed that comprehensive treatment data will be necessary to satisfy eventual demands for improvement, which presents a dilemma to underfunded providers. The current study attempted to demonstrate that such data may be collected through the use of an automated information management system without contributing to existing administrative burdens. The Mental Health Management System (MHMS) was developed and evaluated at three institutions within the department of corrections of a midwestern state. Results were tentative, due to limited subject population and attrition due to employee turnover, as well as other difficulties inherent to a study of this nature; however, at the development site, though not at two subsequent sites, MHMS was perceived to be more efficient and easier to maintain than the previous system, inmate treatment, information was perceived to be more accurate and accessible. Less time was expended toward administrative and record-keeping tasks, and more time was expended toward direct and indirect service tasks, resulting in improved client-contact ratios