Overview
Nearly 10 percent of the population suffers from a mood disorder, and many do not receive care. Our learning health system is helping clinicians ensure more people suffering from depression or bipolar disorder are getting the care they need. Some of the most respected institutions are using the system, including Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Michigan.
Our Approach
We partnered with the National Network of Depression Centers to create a clinical program to improve patient care for people suffering from mood disorders. Central to the program is a web-based system we developed that enables the Network’s 22 centers of excellence and three associate members to consistently use four common assessment tools to diagnose depression or bipolar disorder. This is the first program to use a common language when screening for mood disorders. During each visit, patients fill out the four self-assessments; the clinician then reviews the assessment before each visit, and information from any previous self-assessment the patient provided. The system also provides clinicians with the latest scientific evidence in clinical treatment of mood disorders.
Results
Since the program launched in 2015, approximately 8,000 patients across nine leading medical clinics have been enrolled in the system. Patient enrollment is predicted to exceed 10,000 by the end of 2018, and to reach 25,000 or more within the next several years. Data from the system will also be used to facilitate large-scale, longitudinal, multi-site studies, which are needed to identify predictors of risk and resilience that can eventually lead to the development of early intervention and prevention strategies for depression and bipolar disorders.
Contact Us
Jessica McDuff - MA
Program Director, Behavioral Health
Areas of Expertise- Behavioral Health
- Evaluation Methods and Design
- Technical Assistance and Program Improvement
Jessica McDuff has 22 years of experience working with federal, state, and local agencies to evaluate and improve behavioral health programs and systems of care. She specializes in evaluation design and implementation with emphasis on use of equitable evaluation principles and cross sector linkages between behavioral health and primary care, maternal and child health, and family planning. Jessica holds a master’s degree in sociology from the University of Michigan.