LAUSR

Key Points Question Among health care systems that implement universal depression screening, do patients who screen positive for depression receive timely follow-up and treatment? Findings In a cohort study of 607 730 patients at 82 Veterans Health Administration primary care clinics from 2015 to 2019, 15 155 patients newly screened positive on the 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire and also were detected by clinicians as having depression; 77% met guidelines for completing at least minimal treatment in 1 year, but only 32% received clinical follow-up within 3 months of screening. Meaning These findings suggest that screening paired with integrated services offers a reasonable opportunity to engage primary care patients in depression treatment, supporting collaborative care’s extensive evidence base; yet, access to timely services remains limited.