Feasibility and acceptability of a telephone psychotherapy program for depressed adults treated in primary care.
OBJECTIVE
Telephone psychotherapy is an emerging model of care that appears feasible for extending the reach of evidence-based psychotherapy treatment without accruing the full costs of traditional office-based, mental health care. This manuscript describes the development, implementation and acceptance of a 12-month telephone psychotherapy program (TPP) for depressed adults not fully responding to standard antidepressant treatment in primary care.


METHODS
The TPP combined a population-based medication monitoring and information system with a structured cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) program. The TPP included 8-12 telephone sessions (eight core CBT sessions and three to four clinical booster sessions) delivered by a master-level therapist working in tandem with each patient's primary care physician (PCP).


RESULTS
The TPP was well accepted (i.e., 80% completed the core program) by a population-based sample of adult primary care patients initiating antidepressant treatment. The mean duration of core telephone psychotherapy sessions was approximately 31 min during acute-phase treatment (0-6 months). Eighty-two percent of TPP patients maintained contact with their therapist during maintenance-phase treatment (6-12 months).


CONCLUSIONS
The practical and efficient nature of this TPP appears to sidestep many of the treatment barriers encountered in traditional office-based care. Implementation of this TPP program in other primary care settings may be valuable for enhancing standard pharmacotherapy treatment of adult depression, especially among populations facing greater barriers of care.
Tutty
Steve
S
Department of Clinical Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA. srtutty@yahoo.com
Ludman
Evette Joy
EJ
Simon
Greg
G
D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017146:Models, Organizational; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011613:Psychotherapy; D013689:Telephone; D014861:Washington