POTENTIAL OF E-MENTAL HEALTH Dr Ionela Petrea Head, Trimbos International Trimbos Institute, Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addictions
we know that e-mental health interventions. Cost effective Improve access to care narrow the treatment gap Tackle limited availability of health professionals Address stigma Empower people with mental health problems & their carers 3
E-interventions can be Online or off-line On a computer, tablet, mobile phone Guided or unguided by professionals Stand-alone or blended with face-to-face interventions Using a variety of platforms User-friendly formats using various multi-media resources 4
Challenges Integration & implementation of e-health tools Scalability and dissemination Acceptability & uptake among professionals Absence of mutually beneficial agreements with private technology sector Absence of quality assurance mechanisms High demands on evidence-based research which slows transition from innovation to practice Absence of agreements of cross-border transferability of e-mental health interventions Limited awareness of availability of e-health interventions Design and development of interventions Low adherence among users Non-engaging design of many e-mental health interventions that does stimulate participation and retain users attention High demands on evidence-based research which slows transition from innovation to practice Insufficient information for end users on privacy, data ownership, conditions of use, trustworthiness & reliability of websites 5
Why Joint framework for action needed at EU level to mainstream e-mental health Need for a strategic plan for scaling-up e- mental health interventions in health systems Need for addressing quality & ethical considerations Need for engagement and coordination with health professionals across EU Need to improve usability of e-mental health interventions among service users and carers Need to optimise cross-border transferability of e-mental health 6 6
E-health vs. e-mental health 7
E-mental health introduces discussions on Provision of care: health standards, health professionals, payments, liability Role of private sector (IT industry), business models for e-mental health care 8
Opportunities for mainstreaming Care provided by family doctors in primary care Care provided by mental health specialists Blend e-mental health with 10
Next steps for mainstreaming e-mental health Initiate voluntary agreements with ICT, gaming industry and other relevant private sector parties Raise awareness and increase capacity of (mental) health professionals Set up at EU level a quality control mechanism for e- mental health interventions Include e-mental health alongside with face-toface interventions into publicly funded health services Action for mainstreaming e-mental health Integrate e-mental health into overall e-health policies at EU level and at Member States level 11
Next steps for mainstreaming e-mental health Design for engagement and retention of users Collaborate with technology experts Blend models of service delivery Action for improved design & dissemination of interventions Improve quality and feasibility of evaluation studies 12