Towards a comprehensive routine outcome monitoring program for people with psychotic disorders: The Pharmacotherapy Monitoring and Outcome Survey (PHAMOUS)

Background: Patients with psychotic disorders are at risk of developing mental health and social problems, and physical disorders. To monitor and treat these problems when indicated, an annual routine outcome monitoring program, Pharmacotherapy Monitoring and Outcome Survey (PHAMOUS), was developed. This paper presents the background and content of PHAMOUS, implementation of PHAMOUS, characteristics of the patients screened in 2015, and the outcome of patients with three annual screenings between 2011 and 2015.Methods: PHAMOUS was implemented in four mental health institutions in the Northern Netherlands in 2006. During the PHAMOUS screening, patients are assessed on socio- demographics, psychiatric symptoms, medication, physical parameters, lifestyle, (psycho) social functioning and quality of life, using internationally validated instruments.Results: In 2015, 1955 patients with psychotic disorders were enrolled in the PHAMOUS screening. The majority (72%) was receiving mental healthcare for ten years or longer. A small group was hospitalized (10%) in the past year. Half of the patients were in symptomatic remission. Less than 10% had a paid job. More than half of the patients fulfilled the criteria for metabolic syndrome (54%). The subsamplewith three annual screenings from2011 to 2015 (N= 1230) was stable, except the increasing prevalence of high glucose levels and satisfaction with social relationships (Cochran's Q= 16.33, p=. 001 resp. Q= 14.79, p =.001).Conclusion: The annual PHAMOUS screening enables to follow themental, physical and social health problems of patients, which offers a good basis for shared- decision making with regard to updating the annual treatment plan, next to a wealth of data for scientific research. (C) 2018 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.