Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) Preventive Health Program Program Mission
The mission of the MDD Preventive Program is to promote enrollee understanding of MDD, to educate enrollees about the disorder, and to provide assistance and guidance to those enrollees who have been diagnosed with MDD.
Program Goals
- Educate the enrollee about MDD.
- Improve adherence with treatment, as well as adherence with recommended prescribed first-line medications.
- Improve quality of life and levels of adaptive functioning of the targeted population.
- Provide a source of support, information, and education to the enrollees diagnosed with MDD.
Target Population
The target population is adult enrollees (18 years of age or older) who have been diagnosed by a UMBH practitioner with MDD.
As identified in UMBH’s Member Profile, Major Depressive Disorder is a high volume, high-risk diagnosis for UMBH adult enrollees.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, “depression is one of the most frequently occurring mental illnesses. In any 6-month period, nearly 6% of adults in the United States have depression.”
Program Management
The MDD Preventive Health 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 mailing the Guide to Depressive Disorders. Member Services, Quality Improvement, Clinical Operations, and MIS staff provide administrative support.
Intervention and Frequency
This secondary prevention program is based on the American Psychiatric Association’s Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Major Depressive Disorder, Second Edition which was adopted by the UMBH Quality Improvement Committee (QIC) adopted as a means to educate UMBH practitioners. The guidelines are distributed to all practitioners.
A Guide to Depressive Disorders is written for easy comprehension and is available to all enrollees via the UMBH website. Paper copies available by request. Through provider and enrollee newsletters, meetings and other communications, the practitioners and enrollees have been informed of the availability of the Guide to Depressive Disorders. |
