Organizational factors impacting the implementation of a digital mental health tool in Alberta's mental health care of youth and young adults
With mental health concerns on the rise among youth and young adults (age 12–24), increased mental health options include virtual care, apps and online tools, self-management and tracking tools, and digitally-enabled coordination of care. These tools may function as alternatives or adjuncts to face-...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Digital Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241310341 |
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| _version_ | 1841551990716366848 |
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| author | Marianne Barker Julia Hews-Girard Karina Pinston Sarah Daniel Lauren Volcko Lia Norman Emilie Bassi Katherine Bright Ian Hickie Frank Iorfino Haley LaMonica Karen Moskovic Melanie Fersovitch Jessica Bradley Leanne Stamp Jason Gondziola David Johnson Gina Dimitropoulos |
| author_facet | Marianne Barker Julia Hews-Girard Karina Pinston Sarah Daniel Lauren Volcko Lia Norman Emilie Bassi Katherine Bright Ian Hickie Frank Iorfino Haley LaMonica Karen Moskovic Melanie Fersovitch Jessica Bradley Leanne Stamp Jason Gondziola David Johnson Gina Dimitropoulos |
| author_sort | Marianne Barker |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | With mental health concerns on the rise among youth and young adults (age 12–24), increased mental health options include virtual care, apps and online tools, self-management and tracking tools, and digitally-enabled coordination of care. These tools may function as alternatives or adjuncts to face-to-face models of care. Innovative solutions in the form of digital mental health (dMH) services not only provide support, resources and care, but also decrease wait times and waitlists, increase access, and empower youth. However, organizational factors may impact the extent of dMH interventions are that accepted, used, and sustained in clinical settings. This qualitative study explores organizational barriers and facilitators surrounding the implementation of a digital platform (Innowell), which uses measurement-based care (MBC) to track youth progress and outcomes. Data was collected from 154 mental health care providers participating in 23 focus groups across Alberta, drawing on school and community settings, specialized mental health services, and primary care networks. A thematic analysis revealed the following: barriers included incompatibility with current systems and workflows, lack of inter-organizational collaboration, time commitment, perceived sustainability and lack of digital literacy. Facilitators included positive attitudes towards using dMH to optimize clinical practices by empowering youth and improving continuity of care, transitions in care, and quality of care, as well as workplace culture and leadership. The study highlights a critical need for decision makers and clinical leaders to address organizational factors by integrating training and support, establishing interoperability between digitized and in-person healthcare systems, and leveraging support for MBC and youth-centred care. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-70b0b31861814671822d7225f551007b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2055-2076 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Digital Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-70b0b31861814671822d7225f551007b2025-01-09T14:04:12ZengSAGE PublishingDigital Health2055-20762025-01-011110.1177/20552076241310341Organizational factors impacting the implementation of a digital mental health tool in Alberta's mental health care of youth and young adultsMarianne Barker0Julia Hews-Girard1Karina Pinston2Sarah Daniel3Lauren Volcko4Lia Norman5Emilie Bassi6Katherine Bright7Ian Hickie8Frank Iorfino9Haley LaMonica10Karen Moskovic11Melanie Fersovitch12Jessica Bradley13Leanne Stamp14Jason Gondziola15David Johnson16Gina Dimitropoulos17 Faculty of Social Work, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, , Calgary, Alberta, Canada Faculty of Nursing, , Calgary, Alberta, Canada Faculty of Social Work, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, , Calgary, Alberta, Canada Faculty of Social Work, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, , Calgary, Alberta, Canada Faculty of Social Work, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, , Calgary, Alberta, Canada Faculty of Social Work, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, , Calgary, Alberta, Canada Faculty of Social Work, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, , Calgary, Alberta, Canada Faculty of Nursing, , Calgary, Alberta, Canada Brain and Mind Centre, , Sydney, Australia Brain and Mind Centre, , Sydney, Australia Brain and Mind Centre, , Sydney, Australia , Alberta, Canada , Alberta, Canada , Alberta, Canada , Alberta, Canada , Alberta, Canada , Alberta, Canada , Calgary, Alberta, CanadaWith mental health concerns on the rise among youth and young adults (age 12–24), increased mental health options include virtual care, apps and online tools, self-management and tracking tools, and digitally-enabled coordination of care. These tools may function as alternatives or adjuncts to face-to-face models of care. Innovative solutions in the form of digital mental health (dMH) services not only provide support, resources and care, but also decrease wait times and waitlists, increase access, and empower youth. However, organizational factors may impact the extent of dMH interventions are that accepted, used, and sustained in clinical settings. This qualitative study explores organizational barriers and facilitators surrounding the implementation of a digital platform (Innowell), which uses measurement-based care (MBC) to track youth progress and outcomes. Data was collected from 154 mental health care providers participating in 23 focus groups across Alberta, drawing on school and community settings, specialized mental health services, and primary care networks. A thematic analysis revealed the following: barriers included incompatibility with current systems and workflows, lack of inter-organizational collaboration, time commitment, perceived sustainability and lack of digital literacy. Facilitators included positive attitudes towards using dMH to optimize clinical practices by empowering youth and improving continuity of care, transitions in care, and quality of care, as well as workplace culture and leadership. The study highlights a critical need for decision makers and clinical leaders to address organizational factors by integrating training and support, establishing interoperability between digitized and in-person healthcare systems, and leveraging support for MBC and youth-centred care.https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241310341 |
| spellingShingle | Marianne Barker Julia Hews-Girard Karina Pinston Sarah Daniel Lauren Volcko Lia Norman Emilie Bassi Katherine Bright Ian Hickie Frank Iorfino Haley LaMonica Karen Moskovic Melanie Fersovitch Jessica Bradley Leanne Stamp Jason Gondziola David Johnson Gina Dimitropoulos Organizational factors impacting the implementation of a digital mental health tool in Alberta's mental health care of youth and young adults Digital Health |
| title | Organizational factors impacting the implementation of a digital mental health
tool in Alberta's mental health care
of youth and young adults |
| title_full | Organizational factors impacting the implementation of a digital mental health
tool in Alberta's mental health care
of youth and young adults |
| title_fullStr | Organizational factors impacting the implementation of a digital mental health
tool in Alberta's mental health care
of youth and young adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Organizational factors impacting the implementation of a digital mental health
tool in Alberta's mental health care
of youth and young adults |
| title_short | Organizational factors impacting the implementation of a digital mental health
tool in Alberta's mental health care
of youth and young adults |
| title_sort | organizational factors impacting the implementation of a digital mental health tool in alberta s mental health care of youth and young adults |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241310341 |
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