Digital technology can improve mental health services by making them easier to access and more personalized. Almost 90% of people in the U.S. own a smartphone. This gives a chance to use digital tools for care. But not all patients use these tools the same way.
Studies show that more than 90% of people stop using mental health apps just days after downloading them. This quick loss of interest makes people wonder if digital tools alone can keep patients involved in their care and help them get better. Many with serious mental illnesses, thinking problems, or money troubles have low digital skills. They may feel scared or confused when using new technology.
The digital divide is not just about owning a device. It is also about knowing how to use it and feeling sure while using it. For some, even simple things like setting up an app, keeping track of passwords, or using video calls can be hard. These problems make health care less fair by leaving some groups with less chance to get good help.
Digital Navigators are trained helpers who work with patients who have low digital skills. They guide patients on how to use smartphones, apps, video calls, patient portals, and email. Their help makes patients feel less worried and more comfortable using digital tools for mental health.
The DOORS program, started by the Division of Digital Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, gives a clear way to teach important digital skills. It has eight parts that cover things like using devices, staying safe online, communicating, and getting to telehealth services. There is also a ninth part about safely using Artificial Intelligence.
Digital Navigators teach DOORS classes alone or in groups. They use guides made to fit each patient’s skills, which are checked by a Technology Use Survey. This way, training matches what each patient needs and respects how fast or slow they learn.
Anyone with some computer knowledge can become a Digital Navigator. They do not need a college degree. Peers, community workers, or other staff can learn the job in just a few days. This helps add more people to mental health teams, fills worker shortages, and includes helpers who know the patients well.
Adding Digital Navigators to mental health teams helps both patients and doctors. Patients say they feel less stressed by technology and better at managing their care online. For example, people in DOORS groups at places like Bowdoin Street Health Center and Center Club Boston said they now see smartphones as tools that help their mental health instead of making it harder.
Digital Navigators also help doctors by solving tech problems. This saves doctors time so they can focus on treating patients. They help patients with low digital skills who might miss appointments or not use helpful online tools.
Managers and IT staff find Digital Navigators useful because they fix problems that can stop telehealth from working well. Since video visits have stayed popular after COVID-19, especially for mental health, clinics must make sure patients can join appointments easily. Digital Navigators help by making digital tools easier to use and improving patients’ experiences.
Hybrid care mixes normal mental health treatment—like in-person or live video visits—with digital tools such as apps, chatbots, and wearable devices. This model has grown because it combines personal care from doctors with the ease of digital help.
But many patients lose interest in only using apps without human help. This shows why support is needed in hybrid care. Digital Navigators give this support by helping patients with both live visits and digital tools.
By fixing digital skill problems, Digital Navigators help patients get the best from mixed care. They help people use apps made for conditions like anxiety and depression while making sure technology fits each person.
Digital Navigators don’t just help patients. Healthcare workers also find new technology hard to use at times. Digital Navigators help the whole care team by teaching staff how to use digital tools. This reduces worries caused by lack of training.
This support improves the whole healthcare setting. As hospitals and clinics buy new telehealth, patient portals, and mobile apps, Digital Navigators help people learn fast and fix problems early.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation are changing how healthcare works. AI can look at patient data, find risks, and suggest treatments. But to use AI well, both patients and doctors must know how to work with it.
Digital Navigators help patients use AI-powered tools safely. For example, AI chatbots can check moods or guide therapy exercises outside visits. Without help, patients might not use these tools correctly or stop using them.
Some clinics use AI systems for phone calls to schedule appointments and remind patients. These systems save staff time. But patients not used to automated calls may need Digital Navigators to help them through.
Automation tools that handle schedules, paperwork, and messages also need Digital Navigators. They train staff and help patients use these tools right. This mix of human help and technology makes sure no one is left out.
For managers and IT leaders in U.S. mental health clinics, adding Digital Navigators is a smart way to improve fairness and patient care. This can:
Because telehealth use grew a lot during COVID-19 and stays high, especially in mental health, Digital Navigators help keep digital care working well into the future.
Even though Digital Navigators help with many problems, some issues remain. People with very serious mental illness or strong symptoms are often left out of digital programs. More work is needed to reach these groups with the right support.
Also, payment systems for digital services and roles like Digital Navigators are still changing. Clear rules on payment would help more places add these roles to their teams.
How patients join digital programs also affects results. Those sent by doctors might behave differently from those who sign up themselves online. This makes it harder to judge how well these programs work for all.
Still, programs like DOORS show a way to help many people cross the digital gap. Working with community groups, as done in Boston, proves digital skills training can happen outside hospitals to reach more people.
Digital Navigators play an important role in changing mental health care in the U.S. They help close the gap in digital skills, so patients get better care. They also support using AI and automation safely in health services. For managers and IT staff, bringing Digital Navigators onto teams is a good step to make sure all patients, no matter their tech skills, get proper mental health care.
Hybrid care combines traditional face-to-face or telehealth appointments with digital tools such as smartphone applications and wearable devices to enhance and personalize mental healthcare delivery.
COVID-19 significantly accelerated telemedicine uptake, particularly in mental health, leading to sustained higher virtual visit rates compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Asynchronous telehealth technologies enable independent patient engagement with digital tools like self-guided apps and chatbots, facilitating care outside synchronous sessions.
Human support is critical for patient engagement with technology, helping patients navigate digital platforms and promoting equity for those with lower digital literacy.
Digital navigators provide tailored support for both patients and clinicians, bridging gaps in digital literacy and facilitating the integration of technology into care.
The three key dimensions are digital intervention, human support, and clinical target, which influence hybrid care model design and implementation.
By combining synchronous sessions with asynchronous digital tools, hybrid care models leverage both personalized support and scalability to improve patient engagement.
Hybrid care models may address a range of conditions, including mood and anxiety disorders, as well as serious mental illnesses, across various care phases.
Recruitment methods, such as physician referrals or self-referrals, influence the characteristics of engaged patients, which can skew outcomes and generalizability.
Increasing adoption of digital navigator roles and developing clear reimbursement processes for digital tools can enhance patient access and improve care outcomes.
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