Best practices of mobile health in clinical care: The development and evaluation of a competency-based provider training program.

Abstract

This article describes the development and evaluation of a training program for behavioral health providers on the integration of mobile health applications (health apps) in clinical care. The purpose was to train military and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) providers in the use and current research of various behavioral health apps. The training focused on 5 core competencies: gaining knowledge on the evidence base for using mobile apps in behavioral health practice, effective integration of mobile technologies into traditional treatment settings, security and privacy issues involved with digital data, ethical issues, and cultural considerations. During a 3-year span (October 2014 -September 2017), the training program delivered 20 one-day workshops at 15 military or VA locations, reaching 760 Department of Defense and VA clinicians (psychologists, social workers, physicians, and nurses) on best practices for health apps in clinical care. Prior to the training, less than half of the providers who attended the workshop (41.1%) reported that they were using health apps during treatment. Just following the training, 93.7% of the trainees indicated their intent to use health apps during patient care. At the 3-month posttraining interval, provider-reported use of health apps in treatment was 90.8%. Results demonstrated the impact of a mobile apps provider training program to deliver a relevant, feasible, and impactful approach to educating providers regarding mobile health best practices. Data collected also provided valuable insight into military provider technology use over a 3-year period. Public Significance StatementIn order for clinicians to leverage mobile health technology to best serve their patients, training on best practices is necessary. This article describes the results of an education and training program that successfully trained 760 clinicians over the course of a 3-year period on best practices for mobile health in clinical care.

The transition to teletherapy in marriage and family therapy training settings during COVID‐19: What do the data tell us?

“…In the past decade alone, the use and availability of telehealth (i.e., technology‐based delivery of general healthcare) resources have increased exponentially (Armstrong et al, 2018). A study of a nationally representative consumer survey found that for mental and physical health services, live video communication rates rose from 6.6% to 21.6% between 2013 and 2016 (Park et al, 2018).…”

Results and Lessons Learned when Implementing Virtual Health Resource Centers to Increase Virtual Care Adoption During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Virtual care health technologies such as synchronous and asynchronous telehealth, mobile applications, text-messaging applications, wearable/implantable biosensors, and patient-generated health data deployed in the setting of an integrated electronic health record (EHR) with and advanced analytic capabilities create the potential for huge benefits in the delivery and coordination of clinical care (Brown et al, 2014 ; Hermes et al, 2019 ; Hilty et al, 2019 ; Keyworth et al, 2018 ; Rathbone & Prescott, 2017 ). Barriers to implementation of virtual care include systemic barriers at the organizational level (governance models, lack of guidance regarding clinical integration), environmental (low levels of digital health literacy, lack of understanding of benefits, lack of training, learning new workflows), lack of infrastructure (poor wi-fi, lack of logistics for supplying equipment and access, poor integration of EHR systems), logistical barriers (scheduling, staffing), lack of resources (space, equipment, funding, time), challenges with collaboration (bureaucratic delays, communication), and policy issues (Armstrong et al, 2018 ; Hilty et al, 2018 ; Maheu et al, 2018 ; Muir et al, 2020 ; Torous et al, 2018 ; Zhou et al, 2019 ).…”

Competencies Needed for Behavioral Health Professionals to Integrate Digital Health Technologies into Clinical Care: a Rapid Review

“…Apps were used as examples for direct hands-on practice during a seven-hour training. The findings collected from training participants indicate that knowledge about mobile health applications had improved three months after the training, with 92% of trainees using apps for patient care (Armstrong et al, 2018). However, the study did not assess the overall impact on patient outcomes, but it is suggested that apps could empower patients to be more involved in their care.…”

“…Clinical supervision is encouraged to help maintain clear boundaries, but since mHealth is asynchronous, on-call supervision may be necessary during training (Hilty et al, 2020). Armstrong et al (2018) describe the development and evaluation of a competency-based training program centered on the integration of mHealth into the military and Veterans Affairs (VA) behavioral health settings. A curriculum focused on DoD/VA developed mobile apps was created; however, the curriculum could be of use with any mHealth app.…”

“…This slow integration is influenced by numerous factors. (e) employer restrictions about technology use; and (f) concerns regarding the effectiveness of mHealth (Armstrong et al, 2018). These challenges highlight the need for education, training, and policy for DHT use.…”