title: [Comprehensive ambulatory care quality management for patients with depressive disorders].
abstract: Depressive disorders are of great medical and political significance. Despite improvements in the treatment of depressive patients, the potential for guideline-oriented diagnosis and therapy as well as better co-operation between different levels of care is evident. This study is part of the German Research Network on Depression and Suicidality. The study is conducted in Southern Baden, North Rhine and Munich. The objective is to develop a quality management program for primary care physicians and psychiatrists. A comprehensive continuous medical education concept as well as quality management measures were developed, implemented and evaluated. A total of 66 physicians (43 primary care physicians and 23 psychiatrists) participated. They documented the diagnostic and treatment measures provided to depressive patients before and after the intervention that had been implemented in the intervention regions of Southern Baden and North Rhine. Effects regarding guideline orientation and implementation of stepped-care treatment are analysed with an intervention/control group design and prepost data measurement.
authors.affiliation: Abt. für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie mit Poliklinik, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg. martin_haerter@psyallg.ukl.uni-freiburg.de
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Härter
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bermejo
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gaebel
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Niebling
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000592:standards*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care