Email reminders as a self-management tool in depression: a needs assessment to determine patients' interests and preferences.

We conducted a needs assessment to ascertain patients' interests and preferences for using email reminders ('E-minders') to assist in the self-management of their depression. The E-minders would help patients achieve remission by reminding them of their personal strategies for self-management and their personalized sources of support. Once patients had achieved remission, E-minders would be used to remind them of their original symptoms of depression so that they could monitor for recurrence.

Long-term clinical outcomes of care management for chronically depressed primary care patients: a report from the depression in primary care project.

Purpose: Recent studies examining depression disease management report improvements in short-term outcomes, but less is known about whether improvements are sustainable over time. This study evaluated the sustained clinical effectiveness of low-intensity depression disease management in chronically depressed patients.

Methods: The Depression in Primary Care (DPC) intervention was introduced in 5 primary care practices in the University of Michigan Health System, with 5 matched practices selected as control sites.

Effectiveness of a depression disease management program in improving depression and work function--a pilot study.

Objective: We examined whether there were differences in depression and work function outcomes among primary care and specialty mental health patients treated by the Michigan Depression Outreach and Collaborative Care (M-DOCC), a depression care management program, developed by the University of Michigan Depression Center. In addition, we examined the relationship between depressive symptoms and workplace functioning among M-DOCC enrollees over time.

Method: We used mixed model and logistic regression analyses.

Challenges of implementing depression care management in the primary care setting.

Empirical evidence shows that care management is an effective tool for improving depression treatment in primary care patients. However, several conceptual and practical issues have not been sufficiently addressed. This article explores questions concerning the scope of care management services within the chronic illness care model; optimal ways to identify depressed patients in the primary care setting; responsibilities and desirable qualifications of depression care managers; the location and manner in which care managers interact with patients; costs of services provided by care managers; and the level of supervision by mental health specialists that is necessary to ensure quality care.