CollCare Depression

Collaborative Care for Depression (CollCare Depression)

Early care for patients with depression through interdisciplinary collaboration

In many places in Germany, patients with depression find it difficult to receive timely psychiatric and/or psychotherapeutic treatment. Family doctors play a central role in the treatment of depression: they are usually the first point of contact for patients and often know them well. However, due to barriers to care, family doctors are often solely responsible for treating patients with depression or have to bridge long waiting times for psychotherapy.

The CollCare Depression study is being conducted in cooperation with the Psychiatric Institute Outpatient Clinic (PIA) at BKH Lohr and aims to investigate the barriers that arise in the collaboration and care of patients with depression. As part of the study, PIA Lohr has established a new care program and a new cooperation structure. After a positive screening, family doctors in the Main-Spessart district can refer patients with depressive symptoms directly to the PIA. There, patients receive group and individual psychotherapy over a period of 12 weeks, as well as medication if necessary. In addition, family doctors in the Main-Spessart district receive further training on the subject of depression.

In our scientific support, we focus primarily on the experiences of interdisciplinary collaboration and the evaluation of the new cooperation structure in order to identify opportunities for improving interdisciplinary collaboration and the treatment of mental illness.