Measuring treatment effectiveness. Part two: Newly emerging outcomes databases for individual practitioners.

Individual practitioners are under pressure from the provider and managed care organizations with which they contract to participate in the provider's outcomes measurement initiatives. While many practitioners respect the potential value of outcomes measurement, they can experience these requirements as burdensome and of little benefit to their own professional work. This section describes two research networks initiated and supported by professional associations. The goals of networks are to address research questions that will advance the field and to give clinicians feedback that is of immediate help in their clinical practice.