An Action Plan for Implementing a Primary Care Clinician’s Evidence-Based Toolbox and Guide.

This is a comprehensive, practical toolkit for primary care sites to implement more effective colon screening practices. Even though highly effective methods of CRC screening are available across the country, the current rates of screening, and of complete diagnostic examination that should flow from screening, remain inadequate. Thus, the potential benefits of widespread CRC are unrealized. The American Cancer Society has established the goal of 75 percent of the eligible population screened for CRC by the year 2015. This guide will help us reach that goal.

A depression diagnosis that warrants treatment or treatment change, needs at least one of the first two questions endorse as positive (little pleasure, feeling depressed) indicating the symptom has been present more than half the time in the past two weeks.

In addition the tenth question about difficulty at work or home or getting along with others should be answered at least "somewhat difficult".

When a depression diagnosis has been made patient preferences should be considered, especially when choosing between treatment recommendations of antidepressant treatment and psychotherapy.

The PHQ-2 inquires about the frequency of depressed mood and anhedonia over the past two weeks. The PHQ-2 includes the first two items of the PHQ-9.

The purose of the PHQ-2 is not to establish a final diagnosis or to monitor depression severity, but rather to screen for depression in a "first step" approach.

Patients who screen positive should be further evaluated with the PHQ-9 to determine whether they meet criteria for a depressive disorder.

Link to some introductory training on quality improvement provided by HRSA and developed by the Morehouse School of Medicine, available as pre-recorded auid and video modules in Real Player software format that cover: defining quality, what to do to improve quality, measuring improvement, and strategies to make quality better.

This toolkit is intended to guide local public health agency staff in (1) developing, implementing, and evaluating emergency drills and exercises, and (2) facilitating the public health aspects of larger, multiagency emergency exercise events. The toolkit provides essential guidance including templates, checklists, and forms to assist with every stage of the exercise process. Emphasis is on identification of objectives during the planning phase, a critical step for ensuring a meaningful post-exercise evaluation.