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Tag: accessibility
08/09/2023

Black Women are Open to Mental Health Services Via Mobile Technology

Article Excerpt: Using survey data on patient attitudes toward mental health services and depression screening, a new study indicated that Black American Women are comfortable with using voice or video calls to communicate with mental health providers. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that about one in ten women in the United States have experienced depression symptoms within the last year. The study, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR), also indicated that Black American women are commonly affected by depression. While discrimination, financial issues, and chronic conditions may contribute to this, various factors prevent Black women from obtaining care. These may include stigmatization, limited access, or insurance complications.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/ywhh2svm

Article Source: mHealth Intelligence

07/27/2023

One-Third of ACOs Use Digital Health Tools to Treat Patients With OUD

Article Excerpt: A new study of accountable care organizations (ACOs) suggests the use of digital health tools is relatively uncommon when treating patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). When digital tools are used, they are generally seen as a complement to other treatment modalities, according to the report, which was published this month in JAMA Network Open. Digital health resources have been billed as a way to overcome some of the traditional barriers to OUD treatment, such as lack of transportation and the limited availability of trained mental health clinicians. However, the study authors said public health officials need to be mindful of equity concerns as they roll out digital health solutions, “including understanding the clinical settings in which they are offered.”

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/yc2tn65n

Article Source: AJMC

07/12/2023

Making Digital Interventions Accessible and Affordable

Article Excerpt: As the nation grapples with soaring demand for mental health services amid a provider shortage, more psychologists are considering the benefits of digital therapeutics—evidence-based interventions available to patients on their mobile devices. These tools have the potential to help people struggling with substance use disorders, anxiety, insomnia, and other conditions. But there is a major hurdle blocking widespread access: Using digital therapeutics in practice is not usually covered by health insurance. The costs for the software alone can range from approximately $300 to $1,500 annually—fees that are out of reach for many patients.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/23dws648

Article Source: American Psychological Association

07/11/2023

Telehealth Proves Successful for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

Article Excerpt: Virtual care provider Ophelia found 56% of its OUD patients remained in treatment for six months and 48% stayed for one year, with retention rates significantly higher than traditional in-person care…”These study findings help take another step forward in proving what we already know: telehealth-based medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder is highly effective in reducing overdoses and preventing relapse,” (Chief medical officer at Ophelia) said.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/3z5umm7w

Article Source: Healthcare IT News

03/20/2023

Leveraging Technology to Increase Behavioral Health Services Access for Youth in the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Systems: a Cross‑systems Collaboration Model

Tolou-Shams M, Holloway ED, Ordorica C, Yonek J, Folk JB, Dauria EF, Lehn K, Ezimora I, Wiley HMF. Leveraging Technology to Increase Behavioral Health Services Access for Youth in the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Systems: a Cross-systems Collaboration Model. J Behav Health Serv Res. 2022 Oct;49(4):422-435. doi: 10.1007/s11414-022-09808-1.

Researchers developed and reported initial outcomes of the Youth Justice and Family Well-Being Technology Collaborative (JTC) that aimed to leverage technology in public health and justice-related systems to increase access to behavioral health services. JTC was formed using a community-participatory research approach led by academic and judicial co-chairs and stakeholders from systems serving youth (i.e., behavioral health, legal, child welfare, school). The JTC was modeled after the Cascade framework to study gaps in implementation and uptake of healthcare services. The Telehealth Capacity Assessment Tool was used to identify capacity building needs and ways to use telehealth technology successfully. The JTC consisted of 20 stakeholders from the court, academic research, and justice-impacted youth. Eighteen meetings were held over 21 months. A mixed-methods approach was used to identify themes from the JTC meeting notes and telehealth capacity assessment data at 6, 12, and 18 months. Technology-related capacity was built over the first 12 months, but by 18 months, progress was stalled or marginally declined. Identified challenges included delivery of telehealth appropriately, overburdened IT departments, and inequities among youth and families to access and engage in technology interventions. However, the JTC is unique in collaborating with systems who do not ordinarily discuss workforce challenges or use technology to address challenges. Innovative models such as the JTC may be successful in bringing public health and justice systems together to identify gaps and develop strategies to increase behavioral health access.

03/15/2023

ONC: Majority of Office-Based Physicians Used Telehealth in 2021

Article Excerpt: A report from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology found that telehealth use grew noticeably over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, with high rates of not only provider adoption but also satisfaction. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it became apparent that telehealth was an effective method for providing and receiving care. However, as the severity of the public health emergency diminished, questions surrounding telehealth and its continued use arose.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/4cru2w4c

Article Source: mHealth Intelligence

01/05/2023

Leaning In: How eCOA can Help Advance Mental Health Research

Article Excerpt: Electronic Clinical Outcomes Assessment and digital health tools were well-suited to accommodate the rapid rise of virtual and telehealth shifts during the Covid-19 pandemic and there is no going back. The adoption of eCOA technology in mental healthcare research can make pivotal advancements in mental health patient care.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/2wubjsws

Article Source: MedCityNews

12/15/2022

Telehealth’s Popularity Reaches Beyond Virtual Doctor Visits

Article Excerpt: Patients have made their choice clear: Telehealth is now a key component of medical care. COVID changed nearly every aspect of daily life, including how consumers interact with medical providers. Pre-pandemic visits to the doctor were, for the most part, strictly in person. Then lockdowns occurred, forcing medical professionals to rethink avenues of care and propelling the broad use of telehealth. Restrictions may have lifted, but consumers are reluctant to quit the convenience of digital health – but aren’t entirely forgoing trips to physical offices. As recently as July 2022, 46% of U.S. patients engaged with healthcare using a mix of online and in-person visits.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/y2bksd9d

Article Source: PYMTS

08/16/2022

The Strange, Nervous Rise of the Therapist Chatbot

Article Excerpt: When Nicholas Jacobson and his team test their mental health chatbot, nine out of 10 of its responses are contextualized and clinically appropriate. One in 10 are “weird and lack human-ness,” he told The Daily Beast. This means TheraBot is moving in the right direction. It’s better than when it said, “I want my life to be over” when Jacobson and his team were training the chatbot to use language from self-help internet forums; or when it picked up the bad habits of therapists when they trained it with psychotherapy transcripts—like quickly attributing problems to the user’s relationship with their parent.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/n7c5hc87

Article Source: The Daily Beast