Nurse-Led, Telephone-Based Collaborative Care Improves Mental and Physical Health of Depressed Patients After Cardiac Bypass Surgery

Nurse-Led, Telephone-Based Collaborative Care Improves Mental and Physical Health of Depressed Patients After Cardiac Bypass Surgery

Snapshot
Summary
In a program known as "Bypassing the Blues," nurse care managers routinely screen patients after cardiac bypass surgery for symptoms of depression in seven Pittsburgh-area hospitals and provide those who exhibit meaningful symptoms with ongoing telephone-based support over an 8-month period. Using the collaborative care model, these nurses educate patients about depression, work with them to practice self-management skills, and explore and encourage adherence to recommended treatment options. Nurses meet weekly to review cases with a psychiatrist, psychologist, and internist, and routinely communicate with the primary care physician to ensure the provision of coordinated, consistent care. The program improved mental and physical health status in both men and women; men experienced a greater degree of benefit, along with a decline in hospital readmissions.

Evidence Rating
Strong: The evidence stems from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that included 150 depressed post-CABG patients who participated in the program, 152 similar patients assigned to usual care, and a comparison group of 151 post-CABG patients without depression.

Developing Organizations
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Date First Implemented
2004
March

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