A Comprehensive Approach in Dissemination of Evidence-Based Care for PTSD

• Main Author: Duffy, Farifteh F
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Subjects: ALCOHOL ABUSE; ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION; AUDIT-C; BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT; CLINICAL MEDICINE; CLINICAL PRACTICE IMPROVEMENT; DEPRESSION; DRUG ABUSE; EVIDENCE-BASED ASSESSMENT; EVIDENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT; EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT; HEALTH CARE FACILITIES; MEDICAL SCREENING; Medicine and Medical Research; MILITARY FACILITIES; MILITARY PERSONNEL; MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITIES; MONITORING; PATIENT HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE; PERFORMANCE IN PRACTICE TOOLS; Pharmacology; PHARMACOTHERAPY; PILOT STUDIES; POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER; PSYCHIATRY; Psychology; PSYCHOTHERAPY; PTSD CHECKLIST-CIVILIAN VERSION; PTSD MANAGEMENT; QUESTIONNAIRES; RISK; SCREENING TOOLS; SEVERITY MONITORING TOOLS; SUICIDE; SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENT

The purpose of this study is to pilot test practice improvement approaches for the management of PTSD in military behavioral health treatment settings. The study also targets depression and alcohol use problems, which are highly co-morbid with PTSD. Key evidence-based assessment and treatment recommendations for the management of PTSD from the U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense (VA/DoD) Clinical Practice Guideline and other major practice guidelines were extracted. The PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C), the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and AUDIT-C were selected as screening and severity monitoring tools for PTSD, depression, and alcohol use problems, respectively. Performance Improvement in Practice (PIP) tools to inform evidence-based assessment and management for PTSD, depression, substance use problems, and for suicide risk assessment have been published to provide evidence-based resources to facilitate practice evaluation and identification of potential gaps in care. APIRE staff have met with key clinical staff from select behavioral health MTFs to facilitate management of PTSD, depression, and alcohol use problems in the behavioral health clinics. To achieve this, APIRE has teamed up with the staff of Workflow Division, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Air Force Medical Support Agency, and clinical staff at practice sites to arrive at a practical clinical workflow that is responsive to the needs of the clinicians. The principal charge of the Workflow Division has been to improve AHLTA usability. In APIRE's collaboration with the Workflow Division, AHLTA enhancement also involved integration of PCL-C, PHQ-9, and AUDIT-C into AHLTA to support severity monitoring for PTSD, depression, and alcohol use, as a routine part of clinical care. The original document contains color images.