Evaluating Clients’ Perceptions of Care with Treatment Received for Operational Stress Injuries

Evaluate the session

Presenting Author(s): Dr. Kaitlin Chivers-Wilson, MD, FRCPC, MSc, Dr. Melissa Stewart, PhD, R. Psych

Co-Author(s): Jason Novick and Melissa Stewart

Date and time: 21 Mar 2020 from 14:30 to 15:00

Location: Hawthorn B  

Learning Objectives:

1. To assess self-reported perceptions of care among current and former members of the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police who are receiving treatment for occupation-related mental health issues;
2. To investigate variations in client perception of care across time and in accordance with treatment progression; and
3. To enhance the mental health services offered to current and former members of the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police by identifying areas of strength upon which to build and areas for improvement.

Abstract:

Introduction
Measures of client perceptions of care and satisfaction with services are widely used by health care services. Accordingly, evaluating client perceptions of care represents an essential component of gauging the quality of health care delivery and facilitating the improvement of health care services. The current study assessed self-reported perceptions of care among clients at the Carewest Operational Stress Injury (OSI) Clinic in Calgary, Alberta in accordance with treatment progression.

Methods
The Carewest OSI Clinic provides mental health services to current and former members of the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police who have developed psychological difficulties as a result of operational duties. Client perceptions of care were assessed by having clients (N = 182) complete the Ontario Perception of Care Tool for Mental Health and Addictions (OPOC-MHA; Rush et al., 2013) via SimpleSurvey.

Results
Clients self-reported favourable perceptions of care with the treatment services received. Clients who had undertaken more than 20 individual treatment sessions reported more favourable perceptions of care in the domains of services provided and overall experience compared to those who had completed less than 20 individual treatment sessions.

Conclusion
Clients reported overall favourable perceptions of care with the treatment services received. While the Carewest OSI Clinic offers psychoeducational opportunities, augmenting client attendance is imperative to improve client perceptions of care at the early stages of treatment. Overall, continued emphasis on beneficial aspects and modifications to the delivery of services will enable client recovery outcomes to be enhanced across the Canadian network of OSI clinics.

Literature References:

1. Rush, B.A., Hansson, E., Cvetanova, Y., Rotondi, N., Furlong, A., & Behrooz, R. (2013). Development of a client perception of care tool for mental health and addictions: Qualitative, quantitative, and psychometric analysis. Final report for the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. Toronto, ON: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.