Using Practice Facilitation to Improve Depression Management in Rural Pediatric Primary Care Practices

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Primary Care
• Quality Improvement
• Mental Health Management

Background:

• Depression is a prevalent mental health condition in pediatric primary care.
• Pediatricians face challenges in managing depression due to limited training and access to mental health services, especially in rural settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate an evidence-based quality improvement project to enhance depression screening and management by pediatricians in primary care.
• To support pediatric practices in improving their capacity to manage pediatric depression.

Main Methods:

• A practice facilitation model was employed to support four rural pediatric practices.
• Practitioners received training on quality improvement, depression screening, and a standardized depression management bundle.
• Practices utilized Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to drive performance improvements.

Main Results:

• Pediatric depression screening rates increased from 0% to 81% within six months.
• Documentation rates for the depression management bundle for diagnosed patients improved from 59% to 86% by month six.

Conclusions:

• Practice facilitation combined with skills training shows preliminary effectiveness in boosting depression screening and management documentation in rural primary care.
• Further research is necessary to assess the scalability of this intervention and its impact on patient outcomes.