OASIS-Central

Q: If we don’t have a mental health team, how should we handle a patient who scores three or more points on the PHQ-2 depression screen?

A: According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression in the elderly is a common problem. It’s likely that every agency will encounter patients who meet the criteria for further evaluation of depression. One step would be to conduct a second level screen, such as the PHQ-9. This screen can identify whether the patient has signs of a minor or major depressive syndrome. An agency’s best practice should define its action based on the patient’s score. No matter the action, the agency must notify the physician of the results. An agency without a mental health team or psychiatric nurse may determine that it can care for a patient with minor depression or it may refer the patient to other resources.

The last session in the audio conference series, “OASIS-C Process Measures: Best Practice Strategies to Reduce Risk,” examines depression, pain, and high-risk medications. For more information, click here.