Improving Eating Disorder Screening and Provider Confidence in an Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic: A Screening and Education Quality Project

Background: Eating disorders affect approximately 9% of the population and have the second highest mortality rate among mental illnesses. Local Problem: Many healthcare providers lack confidence in recognizing and treating eating disorders. Standardized screening tools have demonstrated effectiveness in recognizing individuals at risk for eating disorders, yet many providers do not routinely screen for eating disorders due to several barriers. Methods: A quality improvement project was developed to improve provider confidence and knowledge about eating disorders and increase screening for eating disorders in an outpatient psychiatry clinic. Participants completed a pre-intervention survey to assess knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, current screening practice, and barriers to screening for eating disorders. An educational PowerPoint and toolkit, which included a SCOFF questionnaire, resources, and local referrals, were developed and presented to the participants. A post-education survey was sent to participants to determine satisfaction with the education and toolkit. The screening tool was implemented over 12 weeks. Participants completed a post-intervention survey to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. Results: Post-intervention, 57% (n = 4) of participants felt confident identifying and treating eating disorders, compared to 29% at baseline. All participants (100%, n = 7) reported that the educational PowerPoint and toolkit were valuable and that they used the SCOFF questionnaire. Post-intervention, participants reported an increase in the number of patients screened monthly. Conclusion: The intervention increased participants' confidence in recognizing and treating eating disorders and the rate of reported screening within the clinic.