Evaluation of a depression health management program to improve outcomes in first or recurrent episode depression.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of telephone counseling and educational materials on medication adherence and persistency among members with newly diagnosed depression enrolled in a pharmacy benefit management-sponsored disease management program.


METHODS
Longitudinal cohort observation.


METHODS
The study population comprised 505 members with a new or recurrent episode of depression who consented and enrolled in a depression disease management program. After written consent was obtained, program participants received up to 4 telephone-counseling calls and 5 educational mailings focused on the importance of medication compliance, barriers to medication compliance, quality of life, symptoms, and satisfaction with the program. A control group of 3744 members was selected from client companies that opted not to offer the depression program. Measures of medication adherence, persistency with prescription drug therapy, and patient refill timeliness were computed for both groups and compared.


RESULTS
Patients enrolled in the depression disease management program were significantly more likely to adhere to their medication regimen during acute (89.0% vs 67.7%, P < .001) and continuation treatment phases (81.1% vs 57.6%, P < .001). In addition, members enrolled in the program were significantly more likely to continue their therapy after 7 months (77.8% vs 49.5%, P < .001) and refilled their prescriptions on a more timely basis (0 vs 18 days, P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
A pharmacy benefit management-sponsored health management depression program succeeded in encouraging patients with new or recurrent depression to stay on antidepressant medication and to reach treatment goals outlined by best practice guidelines.
Aubert
Ronald E
RE
Medco Health Solutions, Inc., Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417, USA. ronald_aubert@medcohealth.com
Fulop
George
G
Xia
Fang
F
Thiel
Melinda
M
Maldonato
Debra
D
Woo
Cindy
C
D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007356:Insurance, Pharmaceutical Services; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
D000928:Antidepressive Agents