Most cases of depression are treated by primary care physicians, and most of these patients are not receiving optimal treatment - Drug Cost Strategies in Brief - Brief Article

Drug Cost Management Report, July 11, 2003

* Most cases of depression are treated by primary care physicians, and most of these patients are not receiving optimal treatment, according to a study by Beth Goldman, M.D., M.P.H., of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. The study involved a customer group comprising over 172,000 fee-for-service and PPO adult patients.

Goldman presented the data last month to a legislative audience at George Washington University. In the study, 56% of new episodes of depression were treated with antidepressants, but in only 18% of those cases did the patient take a large enough dose for a long enough time to be beneficial. Follow-up physician office visits were inadequate, according to Goldman, with only 20% of patients having three or more visits during the 84 days subsequent to the start of medication. However, the study found that patients who had more than three follow-up visits were more likely to receive medication at adequate doses. Goldman says this indicates a need to improve the follow-up rate for depression treatment by PCPs. She cites low reimbursement of PCPs for certain procedures as a key factor in the lack of follow-up care. The study was part of an ongoing effort by the Center for Health Care Quality and Evaluative Studies at the Michigan Blues. Information: Janice Fritz-Ryken, BCBS of Michigan, (313) 225-7975.