Effectiveness of care and improvement of quality of life in patients with panic disorder

To investigate how practice guidelines or recommendations can be applied in the assessment of quality of care, 72 subjects beginning specialty treatment for panic disorder were enrolled. The Panic Outcomes Module assessed symptoms, health status, and treatment at baseline and after 8 weeks. Using published guidelines, the authors developed specific criteria to rate whether subjects' reports reflected appropriate treatment, including antipanic medication or three or more subsequent visits that involved antipanic behavioral therapy elements. Sixty-nine subjects (96%) completed the Panic Outcomes Module at both baseline and follow-up. Improvement in symptoms and health status was not different between subjects receiving appropriate and inappropriate care.