Important discussions for the development of digital health tools

Forhelse SFI held a joint meeting for partners and researchers on 21 and 22 November in Bergen. The meeting discussed the progress and status of our ongoing projects in the development of new digital health tools.

Mamma Mia is an example of a tool already in use in 31 municipalities, at 44 public health clinics and by 182 employees in Norway. The project was presented by RBUP East & South, Regional Center For Child & Adolescent Mental Health, and runs from 2020 to 2025. The programme will help prevent and reduce depression among pregnant women from week 21 and after childbirth up to 6 months.

The results of the research show some major challenges for the implementation of digital tools in the health services. It is time-consuming for healthcare personnel to adopt new methods in an already busy working day. However, the good benefits experienced by ¼ of the participants who experienced depression (25% of all participants experienced depression), the tool is well received by this patient group.

The participants of the seminar contributed with good presentations and discussions during the meetings. Important topics addressed were the use of early method development, implementation of the tools and their challenges, cost assessments at all levels, supervised versus unsupervised software, effectiveness of digital tools for patients and for health personnel, and achievement of benefits.

In order to help with the ever-increasing need for health services, the use of digital tools must become “the norm” in our health services. Dissemination to users will also be an important task in the future. Nevertheless, its use should be based on voluntary participation.

We still have room for improvement in the impact of research projects on health services. Unfortunately, a large proportion of today’s IT projects within the health sector have not been implemented. We must acquire new knowledge, train users and create new attitudes in society.

The benefits related to improved quality of life for patient groups can be considerable, but we must avoid that new digital tools create additional work for health personnel who already have much to do at work.

Thank you to all participants who represented Amsterdam UMC (Public and Occupational Health), Oslo University Hospital, Vestfold Hospital, St. Olavs Hospital, WNRHA ICT, RBUP East and South, Municipality of Bergen (Agency for Children and Families), Knowledge Centre for the Municipality of Bergen, Gastrointestinal School the Bergen Health Trust, University of Bergen, eMestring from Bergen Health Trust, National Centre for eHealth Research, Lifekeys and Youwell.

Presentations at the SFI event:

Vidar Halsteinli, St. Olavs Hospital, and Kristian Kidholm, Odense University Hospital – Introduction to the involvement of health personnel in digital health interventions.

Tine Nordgreen, Director of the Forhelse Center – From self-guided to therapist-guided from the perspective of effectiveness. WP1

Vidar Halsteinli, St. Olavs hospital. –From self-guided to therapist-guided from a cost perspective. WP2

Linn Støme, Oslo University Hospital –From self-guided to therapist-guided, early perspectives within Health Technology Assessment. WP3.

Cristiaan Vis, Amsterdam UMC — Public and Occupational Health. –From self-guided to therapist-guided from a perspective of implementation. WP4.

Filip Drozd, Silje Marie Haga and Zareen Abbas Khan, RBUP East and South. –Mamma Mia and the involvement of health professionals.

Kristian Kidholm, Odense University Hospital –The effects of Telemedicine, a blind spot in Research.

Kari Lupsa Helvik, Youwell. –What is the commercial potential of guided intervention versus interventions delivered via internet?

Åsne Halskau, Forhelse Center coordinator. –What is an SFI? Work plan and budget 2024. Reporting to the Research Council of Norway.

Vidar Halsteinli, St. Olavs Hospital. –Implementation of eMastery – at what cost? Mamma Mia. WP2.

Tine Nordgreen, Director of the Forhelse Center. –My ADHD adult, from an unguided to guided programme.