One of every five teens will experience clinically significant depression during adolescence, but only half of these are diagnosed before adulthood, and of those diagnosed, only 50% will receive appropriate treatment. Some consequences of untreated depression include relationship problems, academic decline and failure, substance use, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. PFK’s depression QI project assists practices with the implementation of universal depression screening for adolescents per recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and supports the use of evidence-based treatment strategies within the primary care setting when clinically significant depression is identified. Benefits of participation in this project include direct QI support from a PFK QI team member, clinical guidance from subject matter experts, MOC credit, and most importantly improved outcomes for patients.

 Dr. Alicia Fenn, a pediatrician with Pediatric Associates of Springfield who participated in this project states, “The depression QI project has opened so many avenues for us and we have developed much stronger relationships with our community mental health resources and have become much more confident in treating our patients in our office. Our patients and their families have welcomed this project and have been so grateful that we can start helping them right away. All the providers at our office have been extremely satisfied with the help of the PFK QI team in achieving our goals with the project and being able to see such positive results in our patients in a short amount of time.”

If you would like further information on this project, have questions, or would like to begin this work please reach out to the PFK QI Team at PFKQICoaching@childrensdayton.org