Diagnosing depression may be the easiest part of dealing with the disorder. Opening a dialogue with the patient and ensuring quality management often pose more of a problem to physicians. To help physicians, the AAFP is offering two free CME credits for completing its online course Avoiding Pitfalls in Diagnosing and Managing Major Depression.
The course focuses on dealing with the barriers that prevent quality care. Family physicians discuss common pitfalls in managing depression as well as strategies to overcome them. Evidence-based recommendations and screening tools are provided.
Course objectives include
- recognizing barriers to diagnosis;
- developing strategies for patient communication regarding suicide, diagnosis, prognosis, therapy and referrals; and
- understanding the importance of developing a systematic approach to monitoring patient response and progress.
The course will be available online until October 2006. Although the course is free, registration is required. Registration consists of providing an e-mail address and creating a password.
