EFFECTIVENESS OF CARE AND IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH PANIC DISORDER

To investigate how practice guidelines or recommendations can be appli ed in the assessment of quality of care, 72 subjects beginning special ty treatment for panic disorder were enrolled The Panic Outcomes Modul e assessed symptoms, health status, and treatment at baseline and afte r 8 weeks. using published guidelines, the authors developed specific criteria to rate whether subjects' reports reflected appropriate treat ment including antipanic medication or three or more subsequent visits that involved antipanic behavioral therapy elements. Sixty-nine subje cts (96%) completed the Panic Outcomes Module at both baseline and fol low-up. improvement in symptoms and health status was not different be tween subjects receiving appropriate and inappropriate care.