Care Transitions for Patients With Depression

This study will contribute to advancing the science of continuity of care delivery for depressed medical inpatients by collecting data on the impact of a modified evidence-based care transition model on clinical/health and utilization outcomes of depression in medically ill inpatients. The study could generate evidence to support the inpatient application of the USPSTF guidelines for screening adults for depression through staff-assisted depression care systems including follow-up and continuity of care. This study will add to the existing outpatient evidence for identification and treatment of depression in improving outcomes (Simon et al., 2001;O'Connor et al., 2013), the crucial aspect of inpatient evidence for depression identification, treatment, and continuity of care/care transitions in improving clinical/health and utilization outcomes.