The introduction of "Guideline Adherence Rate" is expected to bring multiple benefits. First, it enhances treatment quality. Physicians will be more conscious of referring to treatment guidelines, and patients will become more aware of what constitutes high-quality care, encouraging them to engage more actively in their treatment. As a result, evidence-based, high-quality treatment will be more widely practiced. Furthermore, implementing "Guideline Adherence Rate" at the hospital level can contribute to the standardization and consistency of psychiatric treatment across medical institutions (Inada et al., 2022;
Fukumoto et al., 2023).
The calculation tables have been regularly updated since the initial publication and the latest versions are available on our website. Initially, the raw IFS scores were used in analyses. However, through Patient and Public Involvement (PPI), feedback indicated that the rate format was preferable than score format. In response, we now refer to this metric as the "Guideline Adherence Rate". This rate represents the percentage of alignment with pharmacological treatment recommendations as defined by the guidelines, and is calculated by converting the IFS score at the time of evaluation into a percentage.
The calculation table consists of two components: basic conditions and additional conditions. During evaluation, the treatment is first assessed to determine which of the basic conditions it meets. Then, if any of the additional conditions apply, rates are deducted accordingly. If the final rate is below 0%, it is uniformly set to 0%.
