Mental Health eClinic (MHeC): Breaking Down Traditional Mental Health Care Barriers By Utilising New And Emerging Technologies
Poster C25, Saturday, October 22, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Le Baron
Laura Ospina-Pinillos1, Tracey Davenport1, Jane Burns2, Ian Hickie1; 1The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, Australia, 2Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Purpose: The MHeC aims to deliver best practice clinical services to young people (YP) experiencing mental health (MH) problems, and jump traditional barriers to make healthcare accessible, affordable and available. Through a research and development (R&D) cycle, we are now translating the MHeC into Spanish (the second most spoken language in the world) and furthering tailoring it to Colombia where there is significantly large unmet need. This R&D cycle demonstrates the adaptability (and configurability) of the MHeC to use new and emerging technologies to meet need in migrant populations and the developing world. Methods: The R&D cycle for the MHeC has included a validation study which compares its online self-report assessment and ‘video visit’ against current clinician-administered assessment; participatory design workshops with MH consumers, supportive others and health professionals to determine technological elements; and, rapid prototyping and user (acceptance) testing of the final technological solution. The R&D cycle now continues with translation of the online self-report assessment into Spanish and cultural adaptability (and configurability) of the technological elements using participatory design, rapid prototyping and user (acceptance) testing. Results: 123 YP have agreed to participate in the validation study; four participatory design workshops have run through Australian-based headspace sites, two with Australian-based native Spanish-speaking populations and two in Colombia. Approximately 10 participants have completed user (acceptance) testing. Conclusion: The MHeC presents a technologically-advanced and clinically-efficient tool that can be adapted (and configured) to many and varied settings as a means to deliver the right intervention at the right time.
Topic Area: Service System Development and Reform