Does higher cost mean better quality in adolescent drug treatment programs?
Author Information
Author(s): Bruce R Schackman, Erick G Rojas, Jeremy Gans, Mathea Falco, Robert B Millman
Primary Institution: Weill Cornell Medical College
Hypothesis
Are reimbursement levels associated with the quality of adolescent substance use treatment programs?
Conclusion
Higher reimbursement may improve the quality of residential adolescent drug treatment programs, but not outpatient ones.
Supporting Evidence
- Higher quality scores were associated with higher reimbursement for residential treatment.
- Outpatient treatment did not show a significant relationship between reimbursement and quality.
- Programs with waiting lists and accreditation had better quality scores.
Takeaway
This study looked at whether paying more for drug treatment for teens means better care. It found that more money helps for residential treatment but not for outpatient treatment.
Methodology
Surveys were conducted with program, clinical, and finance directors of highly regarded adolescent substance use treatment programs.
Potential Biases
The cross-sectional design may lead to reverse causality, where higher quality programs attract more reimbursement.
Limitations
The study was limited to highly regarded programs and had a narrow range of quality variation.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on adolescent substance use treatment programs across the United States.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.03
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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