BACKGROUND
New electronic health technologies are being rapidly developed to improve the delivery of mental health care for both health professionals and consumers as well as to better support self-management of care.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this paper is to describe the research protocol for a naturalistic prospective clinical trial wherein all consumers presenting for care to a traditional face-to-face or online mental health service utilising the InnoWell Platform as part of their standard clinical care will be offered the opportunity to use the platform.
METHODS
The web-based platform is a configurable and customisable digital tool that assists in the assessment, monitoring and management of mental ill health and maintenance of wellbeing. It does this by collecting, storing, analysing, and reporting health information back to the person and their clinicians to enable transformation to person-centred care. The clinical trial will be conducted with individuals aged two years and older presenting to participating services for care, including persons from the Veteran community, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, the LGBTI community, and those from broader education and workforce sectors as well as persons with disabilities, lived-experience of comorbidity, complex disorders, and/ or suicidality.
RESULTS
Project Synergy was funded in June of 2017 and data collection began in November of 2018 in a youth mental health service. At the time of this publication, 4 additional services have also begun recruitment including 2 youth mental health services, a Veteran’s service and a national eating disorders tele-web service. The first results are expected to be submitted in mid-2019 for publication.
CONCLUSIONS
This clinical trial will promote access to comprehensive, high-quality mental health care in order to improve outcomes for consumers and health professionals. The data collected will be used to validate a clinical staging algorithm designed to match consumers with the right level of care and to reduce the rate of suicidal thoughts and behaviours and suicide by suggesting pathways to care that are appropriate for the identified level of need while simultaneously enabling a timely service response.
CLINICALTRIAL
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN12618001676202
Can consumer grade activity devices replace research grade actiwatches in youth mental health settings?
