background The document reporting Dutch mental health care negotiations for 2014 - 2017 calls for a cost decrease based on cost-effectiveness. Thanks to rom, the Dutch mental health care seems well prepared for cost-effectiveness research.
aim Evaluate how valid cost-effectiveness research should be established in mental health care and the role of rom therein.
method Evaluation of requirements of cost-effectiveness research, trends, and a translation to Dutch mental health care.
results Valid cost-effectiveness research in mental health care requires the application of a societal perspective, a long time-horizon and an adequate evaluation of quality of life of patients. Healthcare consumption, outcome of care and characterisation of the patient population should be measured systematically and continuously. Currently, rom-data are not suitable to serve as a basis for cost-effectiveness research, although a proper basis is present. Further development of rom could lead to a situation in which mental health care is purchased on the basis of cost-effectiveness. However, cost-effectiveness will only really be improved if quality of care is rewarded, rather than rewarding activities that are not always related to outcome of care.
conclusion Cost-effectiveness research in mental health care should focus on societal costs and benefits, quality of life and a long time-horizon. If developed further, rom has the potential to be a basis for cost-effectiveness research in the future.