Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the western world. Depression is often Co-morbid with CVD, and is a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality. Depression is very often undetected by cardiologists and, when detected, it often goes untreated. The proposed Outcomes Management System for Depressed Cardiac Patients (OMSDCP) will assist cardiologists by (l) screening for depression, (2) helping to determine the most promising treatment alternative for depressed patients (Treatment Selection), and (3) monitoring patients progress in relation to a predicted course (Treatment Management). All aspects of OMSDCP will be fully automated to minimize administrative/respondent burden. maximize clinical utility and provide easy integration into routine clinical practice. Key Phase I objectives are to develop (I) a baseline patient questionnaire including a depression scale (DS), the SF-12, and psychosocial risk factors; (2) the hardware and software to collect, process and report baseline data; (3) conduct psychometric analyses; (4) establish CVD patient norms for screening.
Detection and management of depressive symptoms in cardiac treatment. Continuous quality improvement. Integration of medical and psychosocial treatments for cardiovascular disease. Markets include cardiac treatment centers. HMO's and other managed care organizations.
