Improving treatment for persons with schizophrenia

The time has come for the development of standards to ensure quality and co st-effective care for the treatment of persons with schizophrenia. Advances in understanding the efficacy of treatments for schizophrenia, the promise of new treatment advances derived from a rapidly evolving neuroscience, pr essures to contain health care costs while maintaining or increasing qualit y, and the growth of advocacy on behalf of persons with schizophrenia are d riving this need. The evidence for the efficacy of pharmacotherapies, psych ological interventions, family interventions, vocational rehabilitation, an d case management and assertive community treatment is substantial, yet man y patients do not receive treatments consistent with this evidence. Service systems must do much more to ensure that efficacious treatments are availa ble, that both effectiveness and costs are considered in the allocation of resources, and that evaluative systems are in place to promote on-going qua lity improvement to provide the best care.