Mental illness can be hard to identify. Especially among certain patient populations. Using depression screeners more often can help you provide your patients with the support they need.
Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the U.S., and is the leading cause of disability in those ages 15 and older. In primary care, 10-14% of patients are estimated to have major depressive disorder, though as many as 50% of those go undetected.*
Racial and ethnic minorities and other groups, including men, people over 75 years of age, LGBTQ+ individuals and uninsured patients often suffer from poor mental health outcomes.* This is due to multiple factors, including lack of access to quality mental health care services, cultural stigma surrounding mental health care, discrimination and overall lack of awareness about mental health. Screening early and often helps increase awareness, reduce stigma and improve outcomes.
National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine. Improving Depression Screening in Primary Care: A Quality Improvement Initiative. January 2022. Accessed June 18, 2024.
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National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health and Mental Health Care During The COVID-19 Pandemic. March 2022. Accessed June 18, 2024.
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There are several ways you can help your patients find the support they need.
Search for mental health providers by ZIP code, city, state or county.
Help patients connect with care they can access when it’s convenient for them.
Share these helpful resources with patients and their loved ones.
There isn’t one solution to implement depression screeners. That’s why we’ve gathered publicly accessible, cultural relevant tools and training to help you support your patients with mental health screenings.
Offer clinicians concise, self-administered screening and diagnostic tools that have been field-tested in office practice.
Seven-item patient survey from the Duke Health Profile used to identify patients with anxiety and depression symptoms.
Duke Anxiety Depression Scale (PDF)
Three-minute checklist designed to measure mental well-being, looking for common symptoms of depression, bipolar, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorders.
Twenty-question survey that asks how often patients have experienced symptoms related to depression over the past seven days.
Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (PDF)
Patient-reported Outcomes Measurement Information System. Measures health outcomes from the patient perspective. Covers patients ages 18 and older, pediatric self-reports ages 8 – 17, and parents representing their children ages 5 – 17.
Simple 30-item yes/no questionnaire that can help identify possible depression among elderly patients.
Developed to assist professionals in detecting post-partum depression (PPD) in mothers.
You can get reimbursed for using depression screeners. Use these codes to ensure timely payment for your claim.
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Relevant screening |
LOINC code |
|---|---|
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CPT code 96127 For conducting brief emotional and behavioral assessments performed with standardized instruments. |
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CPT code 96127 For administering screenings such as the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 item (PHQ-9). Can be used as part of initial screening or as a method of monitoring. |
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CPT code G0444 Annual depression screening for Medicare patients. |
Relevant screening |
CPT code 96127 For conducting brief emotional and behavioral assessments performed with standardized instruments. |
|---|---|
LOINC code |
|
Relevant screening |
CPT code 96127 For administering screenings such as the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 item (PHQ-9). Can be used as part of initial screening or as a method of monitoring. |
LOINC code |
|
Relevant screening |
CPT code G0444 Annual depression screening for Medicare patients. |
LOINC code |
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