Enduring CME Course: Depression Treatment in Primary Care: Patient Safety and Risk Management Issues
Activity ID
7396Expires
March 1, 2027Format Type
EnduringCME Credit
1Fee
$150CME Provider: Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Company (LAMMICO)
Description of CME Course
Primary care practitioners treat almost two thirds of all patients who suffer from depressive episodes, and they prescribe about 80% of all antidepressant medications. While they are skilled and invaluable in managing depression, PCPs do not always recognize when patients have it because they are not universally screening for the condition. Since about 10% of primary care patients have depression, but only about 5% of patients are being screened, some cases are falling through the cracks. When potential cases are identified and the patients are treated, mental health outcomes as well as overall health outcomes improve. Thus, the goal after a positive screening is further assessment and then treatment or referral for appropriate patients.
ABMS Member Board Approvals by Type
ABMS Lifelong Learning CME Activity
Family Medicine
Psychiatry and Neurology
Commercial Support?
NoNOTE: If a Member Board has not deemed this activity for MOC approval as an accredited CME activity, this activity may count toward an ABMS Member Board’s general CME requirement. Please refer directly to your Member Board’s MOC Part II Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment Program Requirements.
Educational Objectives
1. Discuss several tools that can be used to screen patients for depression.
2. Screen patients for depression in keeping with recommendations from the US Preventive Services Task Force.
3. Assess suicide risk periodically for depressed patients and document the assessment and results each time.
4. Consult with or refer to a psychiatrist when a patient has severe depression, and do so urgently if a patient has psychotic symptoms or suicidal thoughts or behavior.
Keywords
Depression, Primary Care, Suicide Risk
Competencies
Interpersonal & Communication Skills, Medical Knowledge, Patient Care & Procedural Skills, Practice-based Learning & Improvement, Systems-based Practice
CME Credit Type
AMA PRA Category 1 Credit
Practice Setting
Outpatient, Rural, Urban
