Source
Center for Studies in Family Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, UCHSC at Fitzsimons, P.O. Box 6508 Mail Stop F496, Aurora, CO 80045-0508, USA. Kathryn.Rost@UCHSC.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Employers recently requested a valid metric of depression treatment quality. Such an indicator needs to measure the proportion of the population in need who receive high-quality care, and to predict clinical improvement.
METHODS:
We constructed an administrative database indicator derived from HEDIS criteria for antidepressant medication management, and tested it in 230 employed patients in five health plans.
RESULTS:
Indicator rates were 7.0% in the population in need. Conformance to indicator criteria in this population was associated with 23.0% improvement in depression severity over 1 year (p = .02).
CONCLUSIONS:
Administrative database indicators that predict clinical improvement are a very rare accomplishment. Existing depression indicators may need to be calculated for the population in need to provide a valid metric for employer purchasers.