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Brief description of measure
CMS2: Preventive Care and Screening: Screening for Depression and Follow-Up Plan
Percentage of patients aged 12 years and older screened for depression on the date of the encounter or up to 14 days prior to the date of the encounter using an age-appropriate standardized depression screening tool AND if positive, a follow-up plan is documented on the date of or up to two days after the date of the qualifying encounter
Description of issue
The current intent of the measure is to promote screening for new cases of depression in patients across various clinical settings. Thus, patients who have ever been diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder at any time prior to the qualifying encounter are excluded from the measure—that is, they are removed from the measure denominator. However, concerns have been raised about the appropriateness of excluding patients with a history of depression or bipolar disorder because the risk of depression recurrence is high for these patients.
The measure steward explored potentially adding a time limitation to the exclusion of patients with a history of depression or bipolar disorder, OR whether it is appropriate to continue to exclude patients with a history of depression or bipolar disorder and if the measure denominator should be expanded to include them.
After performing a focused literature review in response to these requests, and evaluating potential changes to the exclusions of this measure with various interested parties, the final recommendation was made by the expert work group to continue excluding patients who have ever had a bipolar disorder diagnosis but recommended including all patients with a history of depression, regardless of status (active or inactive/resolved), explaining it is clinically appropriate to continue screening these patients.
Goal of review
Obtain clinical and technical feedback
Show
Brief description of measure
CMS2: Preventive Care and Screening: Screening for Depression and Follow-Up Plan
Percentage of patients aged 12 years and older screened for depression on the date of the encounter or up to 14 days prior to the date of the encounter using an age-appropriate standardized depression screening tool AND if positive, a follow-up plan is documented on the date of or up to two days after the date of the qualifying encounter
Description of issue
The current intent of the measure is to promote screening for new cases of depression in patients across various clinical settings. Thus, patients who have ever been diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder at any time prior to the qualifying encounter are excluded from the measure—that is, they are removed from the measure denominator. However, concerns have been raised about the appropriateness of excluding patients with a history of depression or bipolar disorder because the risk of depression recurrence is high for these patients.
The measure steward explored potentially adding a time limitation to the exclusion of patients with a history of depression or bipolar disorder, OR whether it is appropriate to continue to exclude patients with a history of depression or bipolar disorder and if the measure denominator should be expanded to include them.
After performing a focused literature review in response to these requests, and evaluating potential changes to the exclusions of this measure with various interested parties, the final recommendation was made by the expert work group to continue excluding patients who have ever had a bipolar disorder diagnosis but recommended including all patients with a history of depression, regardless of status (active or inactive/resolved), explaining it is clinically appropriate to continue screening these patients.
Goal of review
Obtain clinical and technical feedback