Part 2 of 6 | July 31, 2024

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Innovative Mental Health Technologies

 “Technology, when harnessed correctly, has the potential to revolutionize mental health care, offering accessible and personalized support to those in need.”  ~The American Psychological Association

"It’s not the progress I mind, it’s the change I don’t like."  ~Mark Twain

Sometimes technology appears on the scene and appeals to us like catnip (e.g. smartphones, GPS directions, and hands-free driving). We see it for the first time, immediately recognize its transformative potential, and dive headlong into integrating it into our lives. Other technologies simply linger in our consciousness; we acknowledge them with a mental “Hmm” and move on with our already established routines.

Medical practices, like many businesses, are prone to maintaining tried-and-true work routines and allow the myriads of technologies to float on by. This is certainly understandable as we function in a highly demanding profession; there is little luxury to test drive each shiny new idea the world may offer.

For most of us, telemedicine was forced into our existence with the pandemic. In my experience, there was a brief honeymoon period with my HIPPA-compliant platform, but the newness quickly faded. I’ve maintained my subscription with the platform, however, and it has become an important tool. I would stop short of deeming it revolutionary, but technological advances have allowed access to care through telemedicine to be more versatile and efficient.

Mental health care in the U.S. is in dire need of revolution and technology holds enormous potential in this realm. Not only could AI allow both increased efficiency and personalization, but it also ushers in potential for affordability and 24/7 availability. It would also allow discreet access to mental health services and help reduce the stigma associated with seeking help. The integration of telemedicine, AI-driven diagnostic tools, and mental health apps creates a comprehensive mental health care ecosystem.

I would be remiss to not clarify that I not only think about this regarding caring for our patients, but also with the realization that we as physicians will also have to take on the role of being a patient at some point in our lives.  The epidemic of physician burnout is certainly a potential catalyst for us to require care. John Howard, MD, director of NIOSH, was recently quoted in JAMA: “For a long time, health care workers have been the lever that has been pulled to do more with fewer resources, and what we’re seeing is that lever has been pulled too many times.”

Mayo Clinic's Program on Physician Well-Being focuses on research and interventions to mitigate burnout across different career stages; they report this has shown good outcomes, but its size and scope are not a realistic option for a typical medical practice. If AI and related technologies can provide a truly efficient and personalized mechanism for helping our colleagues maintain their well-being, this would be a welcome addition to our ability to care for both our patients and ourselves.

It is my privilege to serve as your SCMA president this year. I encourage all of you to:

1. Be “AI curious” with a focus on ways to better treat our patients.
2. Use these new mental health technologies to care for your own well-being.
3. Join and maintain your SCMA membership. WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER!