TY - JOUR
KW - Ambulatory Care Facilities
KW - Cross-Sectional Studies
KW - Depressive Disorder/therapy
KW - Disease Management
KW - Evidence-Based Medicine
KW - Humans
KW - Mental Health Services/organization & administration
KW - Patient Care Team/organization & administration
KW - Primary Health Care/organization & administration
KW - Telemedicine/organization & administration/statistics & numerical data
KW - Time and Motion Studies
KW - United States
KW - United States Department of Veterans Affairs
KW - Workload
AU - C. F. Liu
AU - J. Fortney
AU - S. Vivell
AU - K. Vollen
AU - W. N. Raney
AU - B. Revay
AU - M. Garcia-Maldonado
AU - J. Pyne
AU - L. V. Rubenstein
AU - E. Chaney
A1 - 
AB - OBJECTIVE: To document time allocated to care management activities and care manager workload capacity using data collected for studies of telephone care management of depression. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional, descriptive analysis of depression care manager (DCM) activities and workload in 2 collaborative depression care interventions (1 implementation study and 1 effectiveness study) at Department of Veterans Affairs primary care facilities. METHODS: Each intervention tracked specific care management activities for 4 weeks, recording the number of events for each activity type and length of time for each activity. Patient workload data were obtained from the patient tracking systems for the 2 projects. We calculated the average time for each activity type, the average total time required to complete an initial assessment call and follow-up call, and the maximum patient panel for both projects. RESULTS: The total time per successful initial assessment was 75 to 95 minutes, and the total time per successful follow-up call was 51 to 60 minutes, with more time spent on ancillary activities (precall preparation, postcall documentation, and provider communication) than on direct patient contact. A significant amount of time was spent in unsuccessful call attempts, requiring 9 to 11 minutes for each attempt. The maximum panel size per care manager per quarter was in the range of 143 to 165 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The study found similar DCM time allocations and panel sizes across 2 studies and 3 regions with full-time DCMs. Reductions in DCM time spent on ancillary activities may be achievable through improved informatics and other support for panel management.
BT - The American Journal of Managed Care
C5 - Education & Workforce; HIT & Telehealth
CY - United States
JF - The American Journal of Managed Care
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To document time allocated to care management activities and care manager workload capacity using data collected for studies of telephone care management of depression. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional, descriptive analysis of depression care manager (DCM) activities and workload in 2 collaborative depression care interventions (1 implementation study and 1 effectiveness study) at Department of Veterans Affairs primary care facilities. METHODS: Each intervention tracked specific care management activities for 4 weeks, recording the number of events for each activity type and length of time for each activity. Patient workload data were obtained from the patient tracking systems for the 2 projects. We calculated the average time for each activity type, the average total time required to complete an initial assessment call and follow-up call, and the maximum patient panel for both projects. RESULTS: The total time per successful initial assessment was 75 to 95 minutes, and the total time per successful follow-up call was 51 to 60 minutes, with more time spent on ancillary activities (precall preparation, postcall documentation, and provider communication) than on direct patient contact. A significant amount of time was spent in unsuccessful call attempts, requiring 9 to 11 minutes for each attempt. The maximum panel size per care manager per quarter was in the range of 143 to 165 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The study found similar DCM time allocations and panel sizes across 2 studies and 3 regions with full-time DCMs. Reductions in DCM time spent on ancillary activities may be achievable through improved informatics and other support for panel management.
PP - United States
PY - 2007
SP - 652
EP - 660
EP - 
T1 - Time allocation and caseload capacity in telephone depression care management
T2 - The American Journal of Managed Care
TI - Time allocation and caseload capacity in telephone depression care management
U1 - Education & Workforce; HIT & Telehealth
U2 - 18069908
Y1 - 2007
ER -