Screening for depression in patients is one of the required screeners for patients at the HealthAlliance Fitchburg Family Practice. However, the clinic was below the minimum threshold. This quality improvement sought to understand barriers to completing the screeners and how to increase screening numbers for patients.

Abstract

Background: Health Alliance Fitchburg Family Practice (HAFFP) was completing 23.9% of depression screenings, below the minimum threshold of 29%. The objectives of the study were to determine factors contributing to the low screening percentage and improve the screening percentages to the minimum requirement of 29%.

Participants: The participants for this study were the clinicians working and the patients receiving care at the clinic.

Study design: The study is a quality improvement project utilizing root cause analysis and quantitative designs.

Procedures and measures: Interventions done include EPIC data analysis, root cause analysis presentation, and monthly EPIC data analysis. Measures used include the PHQ-9 during patient appointments and use of the dot phrase which completes the depression screening within EPIC. The anticipated result is an increase in depression screening/ depression evaluation percentages for the HAFFP clinic. Analyses: Root cause analysis was done to determine the independent variable hypothesis. T tests will be run at the conclusion of the project to determine if significant change occurred over the duration of the project.

Results: Through root cause analysis and meetings with both faculty and residents, the anticipated result is an increase in depression screening/ depression evaluation percentages for the HAFFP clinic.

Conclusions: Clearing care gaps within EPIC is useful for multiple reasons, two of which are appropriate reimbursement for good quality healthcare and appropriate screening of patients. Appropriate screening, particularly for depression, helps patients connect to resources that they may not have been aware of accessible to them.