title: Collaborative psychiatric care in a rural family medicine setting reduces health care utilization in depressed patients.
abstract: Collaborative care by primary care physicians and psychiatrists has been shown to improve adherence to treatment and symptoms in patients with major depression. The authors examined whether such a care model would alter health care utilization by depressed patients. Ambulatory visits and inpatient hospital days were compared for 49 patients with depression and 49 matched patients (age/gender/ severity of co-morbid conditions) who were not depressed. Use of health care services was measured 1 year before intervention and 1 year after intervention and compared with that of the control patients. The authors concluded that depressed patients make fewer visits to health care providers when a psychiatrist is involved in their care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sutor
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Agerter
mesh_terms: D003153:Community Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008910:Minnesota; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000592:standards*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data