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Partners in Care

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Partners in Care Programs Increased the Number of Patients Receiving Appropriate Care

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SOURCE: Miranda J, Duan N, Sherbourne CD, The Societal Promise of Improving Care for Depression: Nine Years Out, RAND Corporation, 2008. http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9055-1/

Improving Treatment for Depression in Primary Care

Depression is the second-leading cause of disability worldwide. Although treatment is effective for 70 to 80 percent of depressed patients, studies have found low rates of detection and appropriate treatment in primary care, where most depressed patients go if they seek treatment. Overall, only about one-fourth of people with depression receive recommended treatment. This rate is lower among underserved minority groups.

A team of RAND experts designed and evaluated Partners in Care, a real-world trial conducted to determine whether primary care clinics could implement practical programs for improving depression care for adults and to assess whether such programs could reduce disparities in care for minorities in comparison to usual care. The research team followed some participants for almost a decade after the intervention, making this the first study to examine the long-term effects of practice-based QI programs. Results showed that:

The QI programs significantly increased the rate of appropriate care for depression among black, white, and Latino patients (see figure).
The programs reduced ethnic disparities in health outcomes.
The programs had long-term benefits, which were particularly long-lasting for minority patients. (For more results, see http://www.rand.org/health/projects/pic/)

In addition to improving depression care for adults, Partners in Care has furnished a model for efforts to implement and assess quality improvement in depression care among other target populations, including teens (Youth Partners in Care) and inner-city communities (Community Partners in Care).