Over the next decade, depression is expected to become the second-leading
cause of disability worldwide. Many primary care patients have significant
symptoms of depression and require further assessment and patient
education. Yet studies have consistently found low rates of detection and
appropriate treatment in primary care, the setting from which most
depressed persons seek care.
Partners in Care (PIC) is an integrated approach to improving depression
care that includes support for assessment and treatment and provides the
format, training, and materials that a managed health care organization
would need to improve both forms of treatment--medication and psychotherapy-
-without drastically changing the way primary care doctors and
psychotherapists usually operate. PIC is designed for use with
socioeconomically and ethnically diverse populations.
A collaborative effort by RAND and a team of researchers and clinicians,
Partners in Care was developed through a study involving more than 27,000
patients, 125 providers, and 46 primary care clinics. PIC has been
implemented successfully by clinicians at Alina Medical Group (Twin Cities,
MN), Columbia Health Plan (MD), Human Health Care Plans (San Antonio),
Caremark (Los Angeles), ValleyWide Health Services (Colorado), Alamo Mental
Health Group (San Antonio), San Luis Valley Mental Health/Colorado Health
Networks (Colorado) and GreenSpring Mental Health Services (MD).
RAND has made Partners in Care documents and training materials available
on our web site. Visit www.rand.org/health/pic.products.
Please feel free to contact me if you would like more information.
Lori Barsness
RAND
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