Providing the PHQ-9 Screening Tool in the Primary Care Setting at Each Office Visit to Provide Early Detection for Depression Screening and Suicidal Ideation

Depression is a major illness that is found and treated in primary care. The research suggests that as people age depression becomes a more prevalent problem. Building a trusting relationship with a clinician has been a major factor in patients beginning to open up about their feelings of depression. Primary care facilities have begun to implement a PHQ-9 screening for each patient that enters the office to assess for feelings of depression and suicide. There is still research for the future to be done to make this process more effective. Effectively screening patients at each visit to the primary care facility will allow the provider to diagnose and treat depression and suicidal ideations earlier, improving patient outcomes. The research suggests that patients visit their primary care facilities within as early as a week before committing suicide. The research also suggests that patients are hesitant to express their feelings of depression unless they have a trusting relationship with their primary care provider