Does Implementation of Feedback Informed Therapy (FIT) Improve Access to Psychotherapy in Psychiatry?

NCT ID: NCT07280767

Last Updated: 2025-12-18

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Total Enrollment

213 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-09-01

Study Completion Date

2025-11-30

Brief Summary

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This study explores whether the introduction of Feedback-Informed Therapy (FIT) can improve access to psychotherapy within adult psychiatric outpatient care. FIT is a person-centered method where patients regularly provide structured feedback on their progress and therapeutic alliance, allowing treatment to be adjusted or concluded when needed. The purpose of this research is to investigate if implementing FIT results in shorter waiting times, and more efficient use of therapeutic resources.

The project compares two similar psychiatric outpatient clinics in Sweden - one that introduced FIT in 2021 and one that did not. The study uses existing anonymized data from healthcare administrative systems and medical records. No changes are made to patients' treatment, and no new interventions are introduced. The research team will evaluate whether the clinic using FIT shows differences in treatment duration and availability the years 2022-2024.

By examining real-world outcomes, this study aims to determine whether FIT supports increased access to psychotherapy and enhances person-centered care. The results may help healthcare providers and decision-makers improve mental health services and strengthen patient involvement in treatment.

Detailed Description

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This observational study investigates the real-world effects of implementing Feedback-Informed Therapy (FIT) in a general adult psychiatric outpatient setting. FIT is designed to support person-centred care by continuously monitoring patient-reported treatment progress and therapeutic alliance. Through structured feedback, clinicians can adjust interventions or discontinue therapy when improvement is limited. The current project aims to evaluate whether the introduction of FIT influences efficiency and accessibility of psychotherapy services within routine clinical practice.

Two outpatient psychiatric clinics in southern Sweden are compared: one that implemented FIT starting in 2021 and one with standard care and no FIT-based monitoring structure. The study uses retrospective clinical administrative data and medical record information spanning 2021-2024. Data extraction includes diagnostic information, treatment activity codes, number of sessions, waiting times, and therapy initiation and termination dates. Information will be anonymised before analysis, and no patient contact or treatment alteration occurs. Access to source material is conducted using regulated research authorisation procedures.

The primary outcomes are treatment duration (measured as number of sessions) and waiting time to the start of psychotherapy.

The study seeks to determine whether FIT supports improved access and efficiency for therapeutical interventions at the clinic where it has been introduced, compared with routine practice without FIT. Results are expected to provide empirical insight into system-level changes in psychotherapy delivery within public mental health services.

Conditions

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Psychiatric Diagnosis

Keywords

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Feedback Informed Therapy Routine Outcome Monitoring Psychotherapy Mental Health Services Outpatient Psychiatry Person-Centered Care Shared Decision-Making

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

COHORT

Study Time Perspective

RETROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

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Comparison clinic cohort

Patients receiving therapy at a similar outpatient psychiatric clinic where FIT was not implemented

No interventions assigned to this group

FIT clinic cohort

Patients receiving therapy at the clinic where FIT was implemented

Feedbeack Informed Therapy

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Feedback-Informed Therapy (FIT) is a structured feedback system integrated into routine psychotherapy at one outpatient psychiatric clinic. Patients complete standardized progress and alliance rating measures at each session, and therapists use this feedback to guide clinical decision-making. Treatment plans may be adjusted or concluded based on the monitored development, allowing for early identification of non-response and collaborative treatment modification.

This intervention differs from standard psychotherapy by incorporating continuous outcome monitoring, shared decision-making, and patient-reported feedback as a core component of each session. FIT was implemented in 2021 at one clinic, while the comparison clinic continued usual treatment without systematic feedback tools. No new treatment modality is added; instead, regular psychotherapy is supported by real-time feedback to optimize treatment duration and therapeutic accessibility.

Interventions

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Feedbeack Informed Therapy

Feedback-Informed Therapy (FIT) is a structured feedback system integrated into routine psychotherapy at one outpatient psychiatric clinic. Patients complete standardized progress and alliance rating measures at each session, and therapists use this feedback to guide clinical decision-making. Treatment plans may be adjusted or concluded based on the monitored development, allowing for early identification of non-response and collaborative treatment modification.

This intervention differs from standard psychotherapy by incorporating continuous outcome monitoring, shared decision-making, and patient-reported feedback as a core component of each session. FIT was implemented in 2021 at one clinic, while the comparison clinic continued usual treatment without systematic feedback tools. No new treatment modality is added; instead, regular psychotherapy is supported by real-time feedback to optimize treatment duration and therapeutic accessibility.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Patient on either of the two units receiving psychotherapy

Exclusion Criteria

* Has a protected identity or protected personal information
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

99 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Region Skane

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Magnus Nilsson

Director

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Verksamhetsområde Vuxenpsykiatri Lund

Lund, Skåne County, Sweden

Site Status

Countries

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Sweden

Other Identifiers

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Dnr 2024-04178-01

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id