PGI-I (Patient's Global Impression) as an Outcome and Quality Indicator of Psychiatric In-patient Treatment: Results and Concordance with Doctor's Assessments

Objective To examine the Patient Global Impression Scale of Improvement (PGI) as a quality indicator in routine psychiatric inpatient treatment and to determine its concordance with doctors, assessments. Methods Patients treated in 2007 in 5 hospitals and 4 day-clinics were included. A set of patient and treatment characteristics (German BADO) and CGI scales were recorded in all patients. Patients were required to give a PGI rating at discharge. Results PGI ratings could be obtained in 70.3 of the patients (N = 3957). PGI and doctors, CGI-I ratings were in agreement with no more than one degree of difference on the 7-point scale of the PGI in 89.8%. Characteristics of those patients who significantly deviated from the doctors, assessments were determined. Conclusions The PGI scale is appropriate as a quality indicator for routine clinical treatment which can rather easily be obtained.