Evaluating the Impact of a Depression Care Management Program

Depression is a common mental health disorder that causes significant individual and societal burden. Depression care management programs use a collaborative approach to lessen these effects. Evaluating patient satisfaction and experience are essential to obtain a comprehensive view of program benefits. This program evaluation project evaluated the experiences of patients in a depression care management program provided by a healthcare system in Washington state. A mixed methods approach using opened ended question surveys, telephone interviews and PHQ-9 scores provided a deeper understanding of individual experiences. The analysis showed patients were highly satisfied with the program. Collectively, depression severity scores decreased however co-morbid conditions frequently impacted a patient’s progression. This project demonstrates the value of a depression care management program from a patient’s perspective. Program recommendations were designed to mitigate limitations and enhance depression care. Patient feedback is essential to assess the effects of a program and should be incorporated in future evaluations