Mount Carmel Health Partners Clinical Guidelines Major Depression | Page 2

Treating Major Depression
Initial
therapy
Psychotherapy
Symptoms
resolved
Medication
(see page 5)
Psychotherapy
and medication
(see page 5)
Response at
6 weeks?
Evaluation
Treatment
Frequent follow-up visits,
including depression
screening tool
Symptoms
persist
Add medication
(see page 5)
Response at
2 - 4 weeks?
*Assess medication
response to monitor or
adjust dose according
to response and side
effects.
Complete
response
Partial
Response*
Continue same
treatment
Advance dose
as tolerated
Response at
6 - 8 weeks?
Symptoms
controlled
Continue frequent
follow-up, including
depression
screening tool
Symptoms
resolving
No
response
Symptoms
persist
Consider the following:
• Changing medication
• Adding augmenting medication
• Adding psychotherapy
• Psychiatry consultation
Major Depression - 2
Reconsider
Bipolar disorder
(MDQ Scale is
suggested;
see page 9)