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Utah Non-Profit Work Aligns With New National Recommendation
Note: This is a local angle to a national health care story breaking today
Salt Lake City, UT – Today, January 26, 2016, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent group of national experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine, made a recommendation that could affect all Americans. The Task Force is recommending that primary care doctors screen all adult for depression.
In Utah, a local non-profit organization is in the early stages of working with primary care doctors from all over the state to increase screenings for depression and alcohol misuse.
“We can help doctors implement screenings in their practice,” Janet Tennison, a HealthInsight quality improvement expert said. “We can go into a clinic, find out what they need help with in order to start screening, and provide them resources, tools and guidance on everything from selecting a screening tool to providing brief interventions.”
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is funding the initiative, so all services provided by HealthInsight are free to the clinics. So far, more than 150 primary care clinics in Utah have joined the effort to increase screenings for depression and more are being encouraged to join. The effort is part of a national movement to increase depression and alcohol screenings and it directly aligns with the recommendation released today.
Reporter Resources:
HealthInsight Website: http://healthinsight.org/improving-behavioral-health
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force: http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Home/GetFile/6/250/depressionadultsfinalbulletin/pdf
Interviews Available:
· Janet Tennison, HealthInsight Utah Project Manager, PhD, MSW, LCSW
About HealthInsight
HealthInsight is a recognized leader in convening and partnering with communities to improve health and health care by advancing quality, efficiency and value for patients and providers. We are leading experts in quality improvement; transparency and public reporting; use of health information technology; engaging patients to improve their health; and redesigning how care is paid for and delivered. Learn more at healthinsight.org.
