Top Performance Blog

What causes change in psychotherapy?  Specific treatments applied to
specific disorders?  Those in the "evidence-based" say so and have had a

huge influence on behavioral healthcare policy and reimbursement.  Over the
last 10 years, my colleagues and I have written extensively and traveled the
world offering a different perspective: by and large, the effectiveness of
care is due to a shared group of factors common to all treatment approaches.
In place of "evidence-based" practice, we’ve argued for "practice-based"
evidence.  Said another way, what really matters in the debate is whether

clients benefit–not the particular treatment approach.  Here on my website,
clinicians can download absolutely free measures that can be used to monitor
and improve outcome and retention (click Performance Metrics).

Anyway, the message is finally getting through.  Recently, uber-statistician
and all around good guy Bruce Wampold, Ph.D. debated prominent EBP proponent
Steve Hollon.  Following the exchange, a vote was taken.  Bruce won handily:

more than 15:1.  Hear it yourself by clicking on:

http://www.newsavoypartnership.org/2008conference.htm

Scroll down to "Closing Debate" (Thursday)

As those of you who have followed my work and blog know, my perspective is evolving.  The direction I’m heading builds on all of the work done to date including the common factors, measurement of outcome and alliance, and feedback.  Crucially, however, it goes one step further; bridging the common and specific factors divide that has long dominated and splintered the field, and identifying the concrete steps that diverse providers can take to improve their effectiveness and the services they offer consumers.

For the past 10 years much of my work has been available through the Institute for the Study of Therapeutic Change (ISTC) and featured on its website.  In line with the evolution in my perspective my work is now increasingly centered on a new organization, the International Centre for Clinical Excellence (ICCE), an international consortium of researchers, educators, and clinicians dedicated to understanding and promoting excellence in behavior healthcare. My colleague Barry Duncan, co-founder of the ISTC, is also developing his work in new directions and we have therefore decided that the time is now right to dissolve our long-term partnership in the ISTC. I recognise that for many of you, who have followed my work over the years, that this may come as a surprising development and I am hoping that this post and others to follow will provide guidance, reassurance and most importantly continuity.

Central to the mission of the International Centre for Clinical Excellence (ICCE) is the creation of a web-based community of clinicians using the latest Web2.0 technology where participants can learn from and share with each other.  Based on the principles of Clinical Community Social Software (CCSS) it is specifically designed to support clinical excellence through creating virtual clinical networks, groups and clinical communities where clinicians can be supported in the key behavior changes required for developing clinical excellence. Participants can; using a variety of social networking and collaborative tools share clinical insights through blogs, wikis, discussion forums and video posts; and improve client outcomes through learning the skills of clinical excellence. ICCE will also include a substantial e-learning facility which supports clinicians in developing excellence in clinical practice.  We have finished our first round of beta-testing for the site and you can go to the website at: centerforclinicalexcellence.com to register to become a member (its free and you’ll be notified the minute the entire site is live)!

For those of you new to the tremendous opportunities for web-based collaborative social software, let me reassure you that the site will permit access and use at whatever level you desire (everything from the familiar email, to weekly digests, twitter, and facebook).  It will provide lots of help to learn how to explore the information and resources on offer as well as the support of colleagues in the community.  I am very excited by this opportunity to interact with behavioral health professionals all over the world in this way. Over the next few days, I’ll be posting more information about the ICCE and our first International Conference on Excellence in Behavioral Health on my blog at www.scottdmiller.com  I encourage you to follow the updates on my blog and post any questions or comments which I will reply to or just send me a good old fashioned email.