Audio-digital recordings used for independent confirmation of site-based MADRS interview scores

A limitation of this method is that independent ratings depend on the quality of site-based interviews and patient responses to the site-based interviewers. Nonetheless, this quality assurance strategy may have broad applicability for studies that use subjective measures and wherever ratings reliability is a concern. “Dual” scoring of recorded site-based ratings can be a relatively unobtrusive surveillance strategy to confirm scores and to identify and remediate rater “outliers” during a study.