Information Availability for Measuring and Comparing Quality of Mental Health Care Across OECD Countries

This paper provides an overview of the present mental health care information systems in 18 OECD countries with the aim to explore the possibilities for measuring the quality of mental health care and identify potential indicators to be included in OECD’s HCQI set. A survey was conducted to support this analysis. The questionnaire sought to gather information on three areas of interest for the description of national information systems linked to mental health services: Types of mental health data available at system level; data sources available at national level; and institutional arrangements framing ownership and use of the information system. An additional section was included to assess potential improvements in availability of the indicators recommended in OECD Health Technical Paper 17, updating the availability survey conducted in 2005.