Depression Clinical Improvement Team Final Report

Depression is a common and serious illness that affects a person’s mood, thoughts and body and often requires treatment to get better. It is the most common cause of disability in the U.S. and annually costs an estimated $80 billion in direct and indirect costs.

About 20 to 25 percent of women and 7 to 12 percent of men will experience depression in their lifetimes. Depression is now recognized as an important factor in many chronic health conditions including heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes.

Many people who have depression never seek treatment, which may include antidepressant medication and/or psychotherapy. People with depression are more likely to be absent from work or less productive when they are at work. Early and effective treatment of employee depression can lower employers’ health care costs and boost workers’ productivity and quality of life.

Report Summary

The Depression Clinical Improvement Team, made up of mental health and primary care provider communities, health plans, employers, and academic institutions, completed and summarized its recommendations in a final report.  This report includes strategies for patients and providers for improving care, including:

1. Patients should be active participants in their care and should follow the treatment advice from their doctor or other health care team member;

2. Doctors and other providers should use evidence-based clinical guidelines in the management of major depression. (Note: The team did not endorse a specific set of clinical guidelines, but it did cite the Colorado Clinical Guidelines Collaborative and the Institute of Clinical Systems Improvement.);

3. Doctors and other health care professionals should aim to coordinate care across settings, including both the primary care physician and mental health specialists; and

4. Doctors and other health professionals should screen patients for major depression, focusing on those who are at high risk because of chronic disease, alcohol or drug abuse, or have a history of depression.

The report includes recommendations for 1) health plans, pharmacy benefit managers and employers for creating a positive community environment for change and 2) clinical performance measures in the areas of adherence to treatment, diagnosis and monitoring, and treatment effectiveness.

To Order This Report    

Alliance Participants: download this report from the secure Participant-only section of this website.

All Others: contact the Alliance and enter "Depression Clinical Improvement Team Final Report" in the Comments section of the contact us form.  A .pdf file of this report will be sent via return email.

Other Clinical Improvement Team Reports

• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Heart Disease
• Low Back Pain
• Prescription Drugs
• Prevention

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