Postpartum Depression Prevention Program Description Program Mission
The mission of the Postpartum Depression Program is to promote early recognition and treatment of postpartum depression.
Goals
- Educate pregnant enrollees and significant others about postpartum depression.
- Improve compliance with postpartum depression treatment.
- Improve quality of life and mother/child interaction and bonding.
Target Population
The target population is pregnant and recently delivered women and their spouses/significant others. The program is presently implemented in collaboration with AvMed for those enrollees in AvMed’s and JMH Health Plan’s prenatal program. At the request of the Quality Improvement Committee and Steering Committee, the program has been offered to other entities contracted with UMBH. Approval for administering this program has been requested from University of Miami and the Reform Medicaid programs. The program will be expanded to these plans once approval is received.
Program Management
The Postpartum Depression program is under the direction of the Medical Director who obtains assistance from faculty of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. These Individuals provide consultation and guidance in their areas of expertise. The Director of Clinical Operations manages the day to day functioning of the program. The Quality Improvement Director is responsible for the distribution of the educational materials to the contracted entities, appropriate participating practitioners, providers, and facilities. Member Services, Quality Improvement, Clinical Operations, and MIS staff provide administrative support.
Intervention and Frequency
UMBH developed educational materials on postpartum depression. The materials explain what postpartum depression is and describe the signs and symptoms of the condition in language that is understandable to enrollees. A Resource Guide was also developed. The Guide contains information on how to obtain assistance with, and treatment for, postpartum depression. On an ongoing basis, UMBH collaborates with AvMed and JMH by providing data on enrollees diagnosed with depression. AvMed cross-maps these data with medical data from the target population to identify any enrollee being seen for post-partum depression. Both of these plans have also provided UMBH with data on new mothers. This data is cross-referenced with UMBH claims data to determine any post-partum depression services provided.
Specific program interventions include:
- Sending the educational materials and Resource Guide to all enrollees identified from medical utilization data as being a member of the target population.
- Sending the educational materials to the plans’ contracted OB/GYN practitioners for distribution to patients.
- Aggressive coordination of the postpartum depression treatment plan with the providers (inpatient and/or outpatient as appropriate), UMBH Medical Director, Acute Care Managers, the enrollee and her spouse/significant other.
- Referral to a Targeted Case Manager of any enrollee who is identified as being non-compliant with treatment. The Targeted Care Manager conducts an assessment, removes barriers to treatment compliance and attempts to intervene early. UMBH coordinates its care management efforts with the HMO’s high-risk obstetrical care management nurses.
- At the health plans’ discretion multiple staff interventions—including visiting nurses—are used, as well as diagnosis-specific provider profiling to facilitate targeted referrals for optimal outcomes.
Program Assessment and Outcome
The program tracks the number and percentage of members in the target population who receive the educational materials on post partum depression. |
