Software and technology: critical tools for implementing evidence-based treatment. (Special Report: Evidence-Based Practices).

No other behavioral health treatment approach is more intertwined with software and technology than evidence-based treatment (EBT). While provider training, organizational values and leadership goals drive much of today's clinical practice, EBT begins and ends with data.

David Sackett, a leading figure in evidence-based theory, defines EBT as "the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients." EBT is a much more scientific approach to treatment than what many providers are willing to embrace, and thus movement and acceptance are slow.

The core of research-based interventions is data collection, data management and data analysis. EBT creates many questions for behavioral health professionals. A cursory review of some questions related to the role that software and technology play in EBT will provide an introduction targeted at answers to some of the questions, and hopefully development of questions for future discussion.

Where does software begin with evidence-based treatment? The vital role of software in EBT begins with the development of "best evidence philosophies." Research studies are often funded to utilize software for data collection, diagnosis, treatment goals and progress and outcome data. The development of evidence-based models, whether dealing with schizophrenia or substance abuse, shares the need to have concrete data elements collected, aggregated and analyzed in an efficient and valid manner.

This data management protocol represents a considerable challenge to manual recording, and therefore is predicated upon the use of electronic patient management systems. Research has long since incorporated technology as a partner in accomplishing its goals and hypothesis. To some degree this successful partnership has created "evidence-based treatment."

The collection of client diagnostic information will provide an excellent start on who you are to treat with research-based treatments. Implementation of EBT often begins with a firm understanding that the data provider organizations already have in their clinical record systems. This understanding is often lost on organizations without electronic record systems. This simple aggregation of client data is essential at all points in the process of treatment and is easily produced with centralized client databases.

Once again, this simple automated task poses a challenge to most paper-based systems in today's market. Behavioral health organizations often stumble when asked, "Who is your client?" Basically the failure to answer this question is due to the absence of data. Client profile data will provide clinical leaders with essential information on the selection of targeted research.