An Educational Intervention on the Efficacy of Ketamine Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression

Abstract

Purpose: This quality improvement project aimed to impact participants’ knowledge, knowledge retention, and confidence levels about using ketamine as a treatment method for patients with treatment-resistant depression. Background: Major depressive disorder is a prevalent mental health disorder within our communities. Notably, individuals with depression can experience poor responses to two first-line treatments leading to treatment-resistant depression. Therefore, there is a need for mental health care providers to utilize efficacious alternative treatment modalities like ketamine to treat this patient population. An outpatient clinic in Chandler, Arizona has identified treatment-resistant depression as a frequent outcome in the clients they serve who have depression; mental health care providers in this clinic may benefit from an educational intervention regarding the utilization of ketamine as a treatment for treatment-resistant depression. Methods: A cohort of providers was strategically selected for participation in an evidence-based educational intervention focused on ketamine's demonstrated efficacy in treatment-resistant depression. This quality improvement initiative employed quantitative methodology to assess provider knowledge and confidence metrics at an outpatient clinic in Chandler, Arizona, utilizing anonymous paper-based questionnaires administered pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and one-week post-intervention to evaluate knowledge retention and practice modification intent. The surveys incorporated open-ended questions to identify perceived barriers to ketamine implementation in TRD treatment protocols. Results: A total of 5 behavioral and mental health care providers with varying levels of experience in the field were recruited and completed all three surveys. Pretests and posttests showed an overall improvement in knowledge following the educational session. Additionally, the subsequent posttest administered at the following weekly meeting showed no statistically significant change in knowledge compared to the initial posttest. Outcomes also show that the participants’ confidence level in the benefits and utility of Ketamine for TRD significantly increased after the informational PowerPoint presentation. Conclusion: Data analysis from the results of this QI project supports the implementation of education to improve providers’ overall knowledge about the benefits and efficacy of ketamine for TRD. The statistically significant increase in survey scores and self-reported confidence levels may indicate that educational sessions can improve provider knowledge, long-term knowledge, and confidence.