| Title |
Antidepressant Medication Management |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| CMS eCQM ID | CMS128v14 | CBE ID | Not Applicable |
| MIPS Quality ID | 009 | ||
| Measure Steward | National Committee for Quality Assurance | ||
| Description | Percentage of patients 18 years of age and older who were treated with antidepressant medication, had a diagnosis of major depression, and who remained on an antidepressant medication treatment. Two rates are reported. a. Percentage of patients who remained on an antidepressant medication for at least 84 days (12 weeks). b. Percentage of patients who remained on an antidepressant medication for at least 180 days (6 months). | ||
| Measure Scoring | Proportion | ||
| Measure Type | Process | ||
| Stratification | None | ||
| Risk Adjustment | None | ||
| Rationale | Depression affects over 17 million adults in the U.S. (NIMH, 2021) and is estimated to affect nearly a quarter of adults in their lifetime (Burcusa & Iacono, 2007). Symptoms of depression include disturbances in appetite and sleep, anxiety, decreased concentration, and suicidal ideation (NAMI, 2017; Charbonneau et al., 2005). When left untreated, depression can have a dramatic effect on one’s quality of life, causing constant feelings of hopelessness, loss of interest in daily activities and in some cases suicidal ideation (SAMHSA, 2014).
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) recommends use of antidepressant medication and behavioral therapies, such as psychotherapy, for the treatment and management of depression (APA, 2010). For the past 60 years, antidepressant medication has proven to be effective, especially for patients with more severe symptoms (Fournier et al., 2010). However, studies analyzing adherence to antidepressant medications found that prevalence of nonadherence was high, ranging from 13 percent to 55.7 percent (Sansone, 2012). Clinical guidelines for depression emphasize the importance of effective clinical management in increasing patients’ medication compliance, monitoring treatment effectiveness, and identifying and managing side effects. If pharmacological treatment is initiated, appropriate dosing and continuation of therapy through the acute and continuation phases decrease recurrence of symptoms. Thus, the evaluation of the duration of pharmacological treatment serves as an important indicator in understanding patient compliance with establishing and maintaining an effective medication regimen. |
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