Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions



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CURRENT ISSUE BACK ISSUES SUBSCRIBE ADVERTISE ABOUT JCEHP FOR AUTHORS JCEHP AWARD SEARCH		Volume 27 (Supplement 1) Volume 27, Supplement 1, Fall 2007 J Contin Educ Health Prof 2007; 27(Suppl1):S9 RESEARCH ARTICLE Current practices in depression care Albert Yeung, Karen M. Overstreet, Elizabeth V. Albert A b s t r a c t Despite improved awareness among the medical community concerning common mental health disorders, the high prevalence of depression in the United States remains unchanged1 and has been compounded by increasing evidence of gaps in mental health care for ethnic and racial minorities.1,2 Thus, there is a strong need for the timely creation of comprehensive educational initiatives aimed at improving the quality of care provided by mental health professionals and primary care physicians. Fundamental to this process is the examination of current treatment standards, as well as identification of practices that require improved physician education. Consistent use of appropriate screening tools, diagnostic accuracy and timeliness, continual assessment of illness severity, adherence to practice guidelines, and individualized patient care need heightened attention to improve outcomes. This article describes the most prevalent types of depression and summarizes current practices in depression care, with an emphasis on treatment standards and opportunities for improved performance. Lessons For Practice Depression is very common; CME professionals who develop activities for primary care audiences about mental health topics or other common diseases (eg, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cancer) should consider depression as a content area. Comprehensive CME planning that addresses disparities in depression care must take into account current practices and standards and focus on specific gaps in screening and diagnosis, guideline adherence, and patient-appropriate management. Depression care is a “team sport”; therefore, continuing education that includes the whole care team should be developed to ensure that patients receive the full benefits of mental health care. CME interventions should address the importance of integrating cultural competence and ethnopharmacologic care into the disease management continuum. Diagnosis and treatment, the most commonly addressed aspects of the clinical encounter, are only parts of the disease management continuum; high-quality care can be realized through viewing patient care as a sequence of detection, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.
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