Stakeholder perspectives on adjunctive mHealth services during transitions of care for patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders

Abstract

Background

A growing body of research focuses on developing and testing interventions that leverage mental health-related mobile health (mHealth) services for patients with schizophrenia and other schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Yet, most formative research has focused on patient perspectives, with little attention paid to clinical stakeholders.

Aims

This qualitative study aimed to explore clinical stakeholders’ (i.e., administrative supervisors, support staff, and clinicians) perspectives on what might help or hinder the use of mHealth, particularly when patients transition from inpatient to outpatient care.

Methods

In-depth individual qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 stakeholders from inpatient and outpatient psychiatric settings.

Results

Four key themes were identified: (a) adherence challenges; (b) role of mobile technology in patient care; (c) clinical professionals’ receptiveness to adjunctive mHealth services; and, (d) costs related to implementation of mHealth services.

Conclusions

Overall, stakeholders agree with extant data showing that supportive networks are important in facilitating patients’ return to the community following hospitalization. Stakeholders welcome mHealth services but suggest they should be appropriately tailored to the population, both in terms of usability and connection to ongoing traditional treatments. Demonstration of added value will likely facilitate wider implementation of mHealth services in the care of patients with schizophrenia and other schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

Keywords:

• Mobile technology
• psychiatric hospitalization
• psychosis
• schizophrenia
• treatment adherence
• qualitative research

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the Butler Hospital IRB in Providence, RI, USA (#1905-001).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by NIMH under grant R34 MH115144. Primary award recipient was co-author Gaudiano, but first author Moitra is a PI on the grant too.