Technology has positively impacted healthcare as it has led to healthcare quality improvement, minimized the workforce, and reduced the cost of healthcare services. Health information technology is a means to improve healthcare provision. Electronic mental health is an effective method to mitigate the problem of mental disorders and involves the usage of digital technologies together with new media for effective mental healthcare outcomes. In turn, this reduces access barriers to mental healthcare and allows efficient utilization of healthcare resources through smart ICT solutions.
One smart ICT solution that can improve the implementation process and the outcomes of mental illness is internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (iCBT). iCBT can effectively treat different psychological problems, such as depression and anxiety (Mathiasen, Riper, Andersen, & Roessler, 2018). When delivered with professional guidance, iCBT is found to be effective compared to face to face interventions. Besides, iCBT can be financially sustainable for optimizing mental healthcare for depressive disorder patients (Imamura et al., 2015).
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Evidence-based ICBT is an essential intervention in routine mental health care practice. Its interventions are evidence-based due to the presence of clinical evidence from randomized control trials, which means that therapeutic principles result in the treatment of mental health-related issues. iCBT treatment involves psychoeducation, behavioral activation, and relapse prevention and cognitive restructuring (Imamura et al., 2015). The components of iCBT treatment are delivered over several sessions. A patient can choose between online face to face sessions with professional health care or online session through video supported iCBT treatment (Imamura et al., 2015).
While research demonstrates the clinical effectiveness of iCBT, I cannot implement this technology due to the negative aspects of internet treatment (Imamura et al., 2015). These aspects include therapist dependency, stigmatization, and low self-esteem, which may require extra treatment options.
References
Imamura, K., Kawakami, N., Furukawa, T. A., Matsuyama, Y., Shimazu, A., Umanodan, R., ... & Kasai, K. (2015). Does Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (iCBT) Prevent Major Depressive Episode for Workers? A 12-month Follow-up of a Randomized Controlled Trial. Psychological medicine , 45 (9), 1907-1917.
Mathiasen, K., Riper, H., Andersen, T. E., & Roessler, K. K. (2018). Guided Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adult Depression and Anxiety in Routine Secondary Care: Observational Study. Journal of medical Internet research , 20 (11), e10927.
