Name
J12 - Somethings Gotta Give: Lessons Learned Applying mHealth Apps in Integrated Primary Care
Description

Historically, integrated primary care (IPC) has served as the first-line and sometimes only point of treatment for many mental and behavioral health conditions. With a soaring demand for primary care provider (PCP) and Behavioral Health Providers (BHPs) limited time and resources, the need for additional care management and scaffolding of care between patient appointments would greatly aid in the treatment of mental health concerns in IPC settings. Mobile health (mHealth) apps can provide a means to address common barriers to accessing behavioral health care experienced by underserved populations in IPC settings. Two pilot studies were conducted to investigate the use of two mHealth apps deployed across multiple IPC clinics to address patients with depressive and trauma related symptoms. To better understand barriers contributing to recruitment challenges, healthcare professionals (N = 11) that would be involved in incorporating these apps into the clinical space were interviewed. Findings from these interviews indicate general support exists for this kind of digital intervention; however, barriers to its implementation persist. In this presentation we will discuss the lessons learned from working with healthcare providers, administrators, and staff to integrate two mHealth apps into the behavioral healthcare delivered across multiple IPC clinic sites. Consideration for future implementation strategies and workflows will be given and larger system level variables will be discussed. Additionally, findings from key stakeholders within the clinical and larger system who are instrumental in integrating mHealth app use within behavioral health care in IPC settings and further pushing the IPC healthcare system into the digital age are presented.

Date & Time
Saturday, October 26, 2024, 11:15 AM - 11:45 AM
David Johnson
Co-Authors
Margaret Emerson, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, Danae Dinkel, PhD, Carli Zegers, PhD, MBA, APRN, FNP-BC
Content Level
All Audience
Tags
Sustainability, Team-based care, Telehealth
Session Type
Concurrent
Location Name
Bonham B
Objective 1
Describe healthcare professionals’ perspectives that are pertinent to the development of a primary care environment that supports and enables mHealth app adoption and use.
Objective 2
Identify strategies for implementing the use of mHealth apps into the treatment of behavioral health conditions addressed in IPC clinics.
Objective 3
Identify and describe changes to workflows needed to support the adoption and use of mHealth apps in the IPC clinical environment.
Content Reference 1
Cheney, C. (2022, July 27). Physician groups call for behavioral health integration in primary care practices. Health leaders. https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/telehealth/physician-groups-call-behavioral-health-integration-primary-care-practices
Content Reference 2
Dinkel, D., Caspari, J. H., Fok, L., Notice, M., Johnson, D. J., Watanabe-Galloway, S., & Emerson, M. (2021). A qualitative exploration of the feasibility of incorporating depression apps into integrated primary care clinics. Translational Behavioral Medicine, ibab075, https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibab075.
Content Reference 3
McGough, P. M., Bauer, A. M., Collins, L., & Dugdale, D. C. (2016). Integrating behavioral health into primary care. Population Health Management, 19(2). 81-87. doi: 10.1089/pop.2015.0039
Content Reference 4
Hertlein, K., & Blumer, M. (2014). The couple and family technology framework. New York, NY: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
Content Reference 5
Wang, P. S., Lane, M., Olfson, M., Pincus, H. A., Wells, K. B., & Kessler, R. C. (2005). Twelve-month use of mental health services in the United States: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62(6), 629-640. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.629