Living in the age of advanced technology has moved healthcare from just the office setting to the patient’s fingertips. Smartphones, laptops and tablets have applications that are capable to provide a level of accessibility for patients that not all health providers offer the patient including open hours and days. Mental health applications have increased over the last 10 years to not only include individual therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness and other mood regulation applications that help patient to learn ways to cope and understand their thoughts and emotions. Now with a big move to social distancing telepsych has been the go-to for providers and agency to keep them available to their patients as well as be able to ensure stability for mental health patients.
According to Giota and Kleftaras (2014), research has shown that young adults with mental health problems do not seek professional help due to the lack of services offered in their area, cost of services, time constraints, confidentiality and stigmas related to seeking help. The new technology of these applications creates a bridge to connect to young adults because it decreases the causes related to not seeking help. Although this is a great way for providers to draw in the younger population for help it may also create ethical considerations that should be reviewed prior to providers use these applications.
For example, not all applications will fit every patient, nor will it be able to report when a patient is documenting suicidal thoughts or when they are having risky behaviors. Not to mention majority of the applications that patients use a free which are heavily loaded with advertisements and demographic information may be sold to a third party. For this reason, providers should carefully review and screen all applications recommended to patient as well as inform them of these dilemmas when using the applications.
Other innovational technologies have been created by those that struggle with mental health disorders themselves. One in particular that has piqued my interest is the “NotOK” application that was created by two high school students that happen to be brother and sister. The sister was dealing with a medical diagnosis that affected her mood, causing her to self- harm, develop an eating disorder and ultimately lead up to a suicidal attempt (Freethink,2019). She struggled with finding the word to tell others how she was feeling and came up with an idea where it would be like a readily available “panic button” on her phone for her support system to call or come check on her when she pressed it. She shared this information with her brother who wanted to do anything to help his sister and other like her. So, he started trying to build the framework for it and now the application has taken off. It is offer on iPhone and Android application stores. The application is user friendly and it connects to the support system that you list in the application with a text letting them know you are not okay and to text, call or come check on you without having to verbalize how you feel right away. The fact that this was created by adolescents and one that struggled with mental health pulled me to add this to the blog as an additional technology that impact on suicide prevention for children and adolescents.
References
Freethink. (2019). An app to help prevent suicide. Retrieved on April 3, 2020 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPS_X3F61wI
Giota, K.G. and Kleftaras, G. (2014) Mental health apps: Innovations, risks and ethical considerations. E-Health Telecommunication Systems and Networks, 3, 19-23. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/etsn.2014.33003
Suicide does not have an age limit 
I was so excited to read your blog this week knowing that telehealth has been very active in the psychiatric world for quite some time. This has proven to be especially useful in our current “stay home” orders to keep psych patients connected to their providers. With the invention of phone apps, I can see how they could also be useful in helping to keep someone safe. After watching the video (which was great!), it made me wonder about the safety of having the GPS location so people would know where to go find the person who is “notOK”. While I understand the rationale behind it, it seems like that might be a safety issue for hackers following the whereabouts of minors…maybe that is simply my overprotective mom brain thinking??
One thing I noted in my area of study (people with substance use disorder), some restrictions have been lifted for patients with SUD in efforts to help them easily access medication assisted treatment during COVID restrictions. For new patients entering an opioid treatment program (OTP) and prescribed Buprenorphine, the requirement of an initial in-person visit has been lifted and can now be completed via telehealth (SAMHSA, 2020). Existing patients currently taking Buprenorphine and Methadone can also be visited via telehealth (SAMHSA, 2020). These could be considered some positive unintended consequences of this virus. Are you aware of any changes to telehealth restrictions in metal health treatment as a response to the COVID pandemic?
References
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA]. (2020). Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT). Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment
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It amazes me how much technology has come to the forefront since the COVID-19 pandemic has hit. I think it is representative of what our society can achieve when we adjust to sudden societal change. In a social media format such as “NotOK” there is always a concern for hackers and trolls disrupting the system, but the benefits outweigh the risk. These applications are being used for tele-med as well, and I can see that trend continuing. The use of technology will play a huge part in reducing healthcare costs and can help ensure that emergency rooms are used for emergencies instead of being abused. In my blog I wrote about a system that uses a communication device such as a smart phone or tablet, wireless sensors for heart rate and skin temperature, and a secure application to assist people with PTSD in exposure therapy. I could see this evolving into a means for doctors to help assess a patient, delivering critical information that they could use to inform a patient if they need to go to the ER or not. As technology becomes cheaper, smaller, smarter, more available, and more user friendly I can see systems like I described as commonplace, and a key cog in mental and physical health treatment delivery in the future.
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