Study Overview

Patient Intervention

Clinician Intervention

Survey Instruments

Depression Case Management
 

The format and schedule for the Depression Care Manager (DCM) contacts were standardized across both interventions. Enrolled patients were contacted by their DCM within a week of the baseline telephone interview for a 45-minute initial needs assessment. Follow-up calls at one-, two- and four-to six-weeks assessed each patient’s depression symptom level by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score. The schedule for subsequent follow-up calls was dependent on each patient’s depression symptomotology: patients in acute phase were called weekly; those in continuation phase called every eight weeks; those in the maintenance phase were called every 12 weeks. The total intervention period lasted 12 months.


During every follow-up call DCMs documented patient’s depression symptoms; clinician and or specialty mental health provider’s treatment plan; medication name, dosage, adherences to guideline concordant treatment, any adverse effects; patients’ concerns, preferences and attitudes about depression and its treatment; and perceived barriers to treatment in a secure database. A sample screen of the database is presented here. At the end of each phone call, DCMs printed and sent a summary of the call notes to the patient and their clinician.