Quality Indicators that are valid and feasible can measure the quality of care and thus have the potential to effectively improve healthcare. However implementation of quality indicator tools in routine mental health care in Europe is challenging. One reason for this is the sectoral structured health care system in many of the European countries.

The German Association for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics (DGPPN) has developed four sets of trans-sectoral Quality Indicators (QI) that are specifically designed for relevant mental disorders with a high prevalence in inpatient and outpatient mental health care (depression and schizophrenia). As an example, the implementation of the QIs in routine health care of nine psychiatric hospitals and outpatient facilities in the Rhineland [Northrhine-Westfalia-state] will be presented and compared to results of other European countries. The potential benefits for improving treatment quality by implementation of QIs in routine mental health care will be discussed.