Implementing Screening with the GAD-7 in an Outpatient Mental Health Setting: A Quality Improvement Project

Authors:

DOI: 10.23880/nhij-16000338

Volume 9, Issue 2

Abstract

Anxiety disorders are a significant health concern because they impact many individuals and impair their quality of life. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is the most common of all anxiety disorders that may affect an individual’s physical and mental health. The project was initiated because the specific site lacked a tool to screen for individuals with generalized anxiety disorders. This quality improvement project was implemented in a suburban outpatient mental health setting using the GAD-7 to screen for generalized anxiety disorders. The overall goal was to understand whether utilizing the tool affected the number of patients screened for anxiety compared to the current practice. Guided by the Plan–Do–Check–Act (PDCA) framework and reported in accordance with the Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence (SQUIRE 2.0), the project integrated the GAD-7 into the clinic’s electronic workflow using Qualtrics. Data from the electronic health record (EHR) were analyzed across two eight-week periods (pre- and post-implementation). The project demonstrated that screening using the GAD-7 increased the number of patients screened by 81%, a significant change that can improve patient outcomes. The findings from this project highlight the important role of evidence-based screening tools, such as the GAD-7, in improving the diagnosis and management of patients with mental health disorders in outpatient settings.

Keywords: Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7); Mental Health; Electronic Health Record (EHR)

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