Digitale technologie in de geestelijke gezondheidszorg: een narratieve review en visietekst op weg naar gepersonaliseerde zorg

Abstract

Digital technology in mental health care: a narrative review and vision on the road to personalised care Mental health problems are prevalent and are associated with a huge societal cost. Therefore, there is an urgent need for improvements in mental health care focusing on a person-centered approach. Digital technology offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a better understanding of the specific needs of an individual person by actively engaging this person in his or her treatment process. In this paper, the authors introduce the experience sampling method (ESM) as a clinical instrument fit for this purpose. ESM is a structured diary technique, provided on an app, that allows to assess individuals in their normal daily life. The authors demonstrate that a clinical application of ESM contributes to 1. more engagement and empowerment, 2. better self-management and recovery, 3. improved goal direction in clinical assessment and management of care, and 4. more shared decision making. They also discuss the implementation of ESM in routine mental health care and introduce the European project IMMERSE, which is specifically targeted on the clinical implementation of ESM in 4 European countries. This extensive international project will contribute to the implementation of ESM in clinical practice, resulting in a personalized, proactive, user-centered model of mental health care, transforming patients from passive care users into active managers of their own care.