A Patient Activation Approach to Implementing Depression Treatment in Cardiac Patients

This study, which is being conducted as part of a Quality Improvement (QI) Initiative at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, will test whether delivering the iHeart DepCare tool increases real world reach and adoption of depression treatment among CHD patients. As part of the QI Initiative, Clinic Navigators will administer and record (in EPIC) depression screening in advance of primary care and cardiology appointments. Eligible patients with elevated depressive symptoms will be randomized to receive usual care vs. the iHeart DepCare tool in conjunction with brief motivational, technical and navigation support per patient preference. Aim 1: To test the effect of iHeart DepCare on depression treatment optimization (primary outcome) among coronary heart disease patients with elevated depressive symptoms. Aim 2: To explore the effect of iHeart DepCare on implementation outcomes, including provider referrals, among coronary heart disease patients with elevated depressive symptoms.

NCT Number	NCT07390331
Lead Sponsor	Columbia University Collaborators: National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Conditions	Depression and CVD
Enrollment	200 participants
Start Date	2026-03-03
Primary Completion	2028-05-30 (estimated)
Study Completion	2029-01-31 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-03-06