Collaborative care speeds recovery from depression.

Intervention Collaborative team-led, guideline-based treatment plan with monitoring of the plan’s implementation in primary care, and patient support versus traditional psychiatric specialist consultation and liaison. The collaborative specialist team, who developed treatment plans based on published guidelines, included a clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, social workers and psychology technician. People in the control group had access to a psychologist and social workers to ensure that both groups were similarly resourced. Main outcome measures Depressive symptoms (Hopkins Symptom Checklist [SCL-20]; health and mental health status (Veterans Short Form [SF]-36 Health Status Questionnaire); effects on work and social life (Sheehan Disability Scale) and number and dosage of antidepressant prescriptions.