Quality Improvement Strategy Improves Depression, Anxiety Screening With Epilepsy

WEDNESDAY, June 4, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A quality improvement strategy can improve electronic health record-based screening for depression and anxiety in people with epilepsy, according to a study published online April 16 in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science.

Heidi M. Munger Clary, M.D., M.P.H., from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and colleagues developed an implementation strategy for anxiety and depression screening among people treated at an epilepsy center. Implementation outcomes were evaluated five months postimplementation compared to two three-month preimplementation time frames.

The researchers found that postimplementation, 29.2 percent of 943 visits met the anxiety and depression screening quality measure, a significant increase from 12.6 percent immediately preimplementation and 6.28 percent before any screening interventions. Postimplementation screening was significantly more likely to be completed in patients who were younger (mean, 39.3 versus 43.4 years for noncompleters) and White versus other race/ethnicity categories. Screening rates varied substantially among clinic staff (0 to 80 percent for support staff and 10.1 to 55.3 percent for providers). 

“Anxiety and depression are common in epilepsy, yet they are often under-recognized and undertreated,” Clary said in a statement. “But by leveraging existing clinical staff and electronic health record features, we can significantly increase screening rates, allowing for better patient management and treatment.”

One author disclosed ties to Jazz, Biohaven, UCB, and Neurona.

Abstract/Full Text