I appreciate the invitation to comment on this petition.  I respect the goal of providing quality patient care, but I am NOT IN FAVOR of this mechanism.  Logistically, it places an undue burden on practitioners for an effort that is unreimbursed and requires considerable staff and practitioner managment/accountability.  As a concept, the outcome of such a subjective self-report is far from evidence-based.  In fact, in the complex arena in which we work (patients across the spectrum of complexity of mental health/behavioral health/physical health concerns), subjective patient report is often not the best measure of outcome.  Indeed, one learned perspective is that, if our patients leave the office happy, we may not have done the work justice (that is, sometimes the hard truths are hard to hear, and sometimes careful confrontation is what spurs people to movement--even if reactive and just to spite us!).

Our field is increasingly embracing evidence-based practice, and it is within that model of training, continuing education, and treatment that we bring quality to bear in our work within our profession of Clinical Psychology.

Respectfully submitted,

Cathleen A. Rea, Ph.D.