Decreasing hospitalization rates for older home care patients with symptoms of depression

A total quality management (TQM) intervention can significantly reduce hospitalization rates in elderly home care patients with depression. Researchers assigned 81 such patients to a TQM intervention and 69 to traditional treatment. The TQM intervention included seminars on depression in the elderly, screening for depression and recommendations for various treatments. This intervention reduced hospitalization rates from 40.6% to 23.5%.