The New Mental Health Frontier: Facility-Based, Tech-Enhanced Care
Healthcare is never constant; it keeps evolving with new trends and technological advancements. The mental healthcare sector isn’t the exception. Traditional approaches are giving way to innovative, tech-enhanced care. What does this type of care entail? That’s exactly the main subject of this article to provide a more detailed insight into the facility-based, tech-enhanced mental health care.
Table of Contents
The New Mental Health Frontier: Facility-Based, Tech-Enhanced Care
Why Facility-Based, Tech-Enhanced Care?
Characteristics of Facility-Based, Tech-Enhanced Care
Why Facility-Based, Tech-Enhanced Care?
For a long time, outpatient therapy has been the primary model in mental health. The term outpatient therapy refers to cases when the client or patient isn’t admitted to the hospital, residential program, or other inpatient setting. Instead, patients attend therapy sessions on a weekly or biweekly basis. Even though outpatient therapy is effective, it doesn’t meet the needs of all populations. This is particularly the case for people with a lack of a consistent support system, co-occurring substance abuse, and moderate or severe conditions.
However, traditional residential or inpatient care can be quite expensive. For that reason, demand for middle ground has never been higher. That’s where facility-based, tech-enhanced care steps in. This type of mental health care involves immersive environments that provide structure, community, and multidisciplinary support.
The main features of facility-based, tech-enhanced care include on-site structured environments, tech integration for monitoring and engagement, and continuity across settings.
Facility-based, tech-enhanced care combines the best of human-centered care with the efficiency and insight of digital tools. It has several advantages over the traditional approaches. Some of them are increased accessibility and flexibility, stronger engagement and adherence, improved outcomes through personalization, and integrated care for complex conditions.
Facilities adapt programming for diverse needs, and clients or patients feel more involved when they can track their own progress. Therapists and their staff can tailor the treatment program to the specific needs of each patient as opposed to the old-fashioned “one size fits all” approach.
Characteristics of Facility-Based, Tech-Enhanced Care
This type of mental health care is delivered at physical locations such as intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) and residential facilities. It combines facility-based treatment with technological solutions ranging from wearables to apps and artificial intelligence (AI). Below, we’re going to take a closer look into different ways through which technology enhances facility-based care for mental health.
Real-Time Symptom Tracking
Wearables and mobile apps allow for tracking mood, activity levels, and sleep quality. These gadgets and apps can also track medication adherence in real time. Data obtained by wearables and apps is accessible to clinicians, who now have the opportunity to intervene when warning signs occur.
Evidence confirms that wearables offer several advantages over traditional methods of mental health assessment including convenience, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to capture data in real-world settings. Current offerings on the market have enough quality to deliver meaningful data.
The Use of AI
Artificial intelligence can assist with early screening, triage, and diagnosis. For example, machine learning models trained on symptom patterns are capable of flagging suicidal ideation. They can also suggest proper treatment protocols. Artificial intelligence has the potential to enhance clinical judgment and thereby improve the quality and efficacy of mental health treatment.
It’s useful to mention that AI has several uses in mental healthcare. For example, it can streamline administrative tasks to reduce burnout and increase time for patient care. Moreover, AI can be used to analyze a person’s medical record to help identify those who may benefit from early intervention.
Digital Therapeutics
Digital therapeutics rely on software programs to deliver evidence-based and clinically validated interventions to diagnose, treat, or prevent mental or behavioral health disorders. These include cognitive behavioral tools, mindfulness modules, and psychoeducation delivered through interactive apps or tablets on-site. The main purpose of digital therapeutics is to reinforce lessons from therapy and provide self-guided coping mechanisms between sessions.
Keep in mind that digital therapeutics aren’t direct-to-consumer apps that people can easily find and download via app stores. They often require an “order” or “prescription” from a licensed practitioner. Digital therapeutics are regulated by the FDA and can be used on their own or as an addition to therapy or medications as a part of a patient’s specific treatment program.
These tools have the potential to address health disparities and are capable of expanding access to care by providing readily available and scalable solutions.
Communication with a Support System
One of the best things about technology is that it makes communication between people faster and easier. Contacting someone takes just a few taps on the screen. Even in mental healthcare, technology makes communication easy and allows patients to interact with their support system. This is particularly important for patients in residential settings.
Thanks to tech-enhanced care, it is also possible to perform remote check-ins with care coordinators and post-discharge follow-up. As a result, technology supports a continuum of care even after the facility stay ends.
Human Connection Is Essential
Even though tech-enhanced care puts a strong emphasis on digital or technological solutions for greater effectiveness and better support, human connection is still the heart and soul of mental healthcare.
One of the biggest advantages of this treatment approach is the structured communal setting that prioritizes accountability and relationship-building. Core human components of facility-based, tech-enhanced mental healthcare include group therapy and peer connection, one-on-one therapy and psychiatry, on-site staff presence, and holistic activities such as yoga and art therapy.
In this approach, technology is the tool that therapists and other clinical staff use to deliver the best level of care to their patients.
Conclusion
The future of mental healthcare will focus even more on digital trends and technological solutions. Implementation of the latest advancements, such as wearables, apps, and AI, can positively contribute to the quality of mental health services and even simplify administrative tasks. Even though technology has shaped mental healthcare approaches, the core of every treatment protocol is a human connection and a strong focus on their well-being. It is important to keep an open mind and embrace new trends that can be of huge help in increasing the efficacy of mental healthcare.
References
https://www.verywellmind.com/outpatient-therapy-definition-and-efficacy-5214546
