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Mental Health
Choosing an antidepressant: the value of a shared decision making approach (ACRRM)
Shared decision making (SDM) is a collaborative process, involving discussion, education and deliberation between the health professional and the patient in order to include the patient in decisions on managing their medical condition. While some health professionals may have concerns about implementing SDM in the area of mental health, research shows that many patients with […]
DURATION
6 hrs
PROFESSION
Physician
# OF CREDITS
6
ACCREDITATION
ACRRM
EXPIRY DATE
2023-01-28
Shared decision making (SDM) is a collaborative process, involving discussion, education and deliberation between the health professional and the patient in order to include the patient in decisions on managing their medical condition.
While some health professionals may have concerns about implementing SDM in the area of mental health, research shows that many patients with depressive disorders do well with greater involvement in therapeutic decision-making.
Antidepressants often play an important role in the treatment of moderate to severe depression, but their effectiveness is limited by low patient adherence rates, with up to 60% of patients showing sub-optimal adherence as early as 6 months into treatment. One modifiable factor that may improve adherence is improving how antidepressants are selected for the patient.
Antidepressants (and indeed all treatments for depression) should be chosen based on each individual patient’s circumstances and preferences. SDM cultivates these informed preferences and leads to patient-centred choices.
This program is supported by an independent educational grant provided by Servier.
Faculty
Professor Malcolm Hopwood,
MBBS, MPM, MD, FRANZCP
Dr Michael Johnston,
General Practitioner
Learning objectives
After completing this accredited program, GPs will be able to:
- Differentiate between the different classes of antidepressant medicines based on their mechanisms of action
- Describe the efficacy and tolerability profiles of different treatments
- Implement a shared decision making approach to major depressive disorder (MDD) treatment selection, taking into account both the clinical characteristics of current pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapies for MDD and practical considerations of importance to patients
- Identify the options available to patients who have an inadequate response to their initial antidepressant treatment.
Accreditation
This 6 hour interactive online learning activity is accredited by the Australian College of Rural & Remote Medicine for 5 units of Educational activity and 1 unit of Performance review.
Activity no. 21748