Improving depression treatment by integrated care.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the clinical and economic implications of depression in the workplace and review how integrated care models can improve overall patient outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
Depression is a significant financial burden to the employer due to lost days of work and decreased productivity. Employers are demanding return on the investment for their increasing health care expenditures. The cost of depression to employers may be contained by delivering care using integrated models that leverage primary care provider treatment with care management and mental health consultation.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a need to reduce silos in the organization and financing of mental health care to prevent cost shifting that provides no benefit to patients, payers or providers. Poor mental health care will likely lead to a rise in absenteeism and presenteeism.
Rost
Kathryn M
KM
School of Medicine, Behavioral Health in Primary Care, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 9414 East Arbor Dr., Englewood, CO 80111, USA. Kathryn.Rost@UCHSC.edu
D000041:Absenteeism; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000191:economics*