HomeNews‘A Clearer Picture of a Patient’s Progress’: Crossroads Touts Measurement-Based Care Model

‘A Clearer Picture of a Patient’s Progress’: Crossroads Touts Measurement-Based Care Model

By Matthew Blake | Business Wire

Another substance use disorder (SUD) treatment provider is reporting that its measurement-based care model is working for at-risk patients.

Crossroads Treatment Center released a white paper Tuesday showing that, after a year in treatment, patients in its measurement-based care program are less likely to get the urge to use substances moving forward.

Patients also reported feeling less anxious over time, according to findings in the white paper. And they held a greater belief they had the support system in place to complete SUD recovery.

“Objective measurement provides a clearer picture of a patient’s progress, allowing health care providers to make informed decisions about treatment intensification, modification, or tapering based on actual data rather than subjective observation alone,” the white paper concluded.

Measurement-based care is a trend among SUD providers. The Crossroads paper indicates how one national provider defined, and has applied, measurement-based care.

The Greenville, South Carolina-based company, which has more than 100 treatment facilities spread across nine states, reported that its measurement-based care program largely consists of questionnaires given to patients throughout the treatment process.

Crossroads has received over 1.4 million patient self-assessments since opening its doors in 2005. The white paper reflects all available patient responses, a Crossroads spokesperson told Addiction Treatment Business. The spokesperson noted that the paper is not a formalized study.

These responses include an “urge to use” survey where patients are asked five questions, such as: How often have you thought about using? Or, how good would using make you feel during this period?

The patient gives a numerical answer from 0-6, with zero suggesting no urgency to use, and six constant urgency. The patient usually writes down their answer, the company spokesperson said, and their replies are then discussed or clarified by a provider during in-person or telehealth appointments.

The urge-to-use survey is critical to helping Crossroads identify high-risk patients, the paper said.

After less than 30 days, the average patient total on the urgency to use assessment was around 10. After more than a year in treatment, the average total dropped to 4, suggesting patients no longer had a strong impulse to use.

Patients also reported feeling less anxious over time.

For this, Crossroads used the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) assessment where patients answer seven questions about their frequency of feeling anxious. Over a year’s time, the average patient score dropped from 7.3 to 4.5, a score associated with moderate to minimal anxiety.

The provider also administered the Brief Assessment of Recovery Capital (BARC-10), which are 10 questions asking patients to rate their level of a support system, personal motivation, and treatment resources to overcome SUD.

Patient confidence in their recovery capital mildly ticked up, going from a score of 46 after less than 30 days in treatment, to almost 50 after one-year receiving treatment services.

Crossroads noted that the organization employed other questionnaires during the recovery process including the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item assessment and the Health Related Social Needs diagnostic tool.