DTx Book Sneek Peek – Chapter 5: Blending digital therapeutics within the healthcare system
Here is a sneak peak into Chapter 5 of our new book Digital Therapeutics for Mental Health and Addiction: The State of the Science and Vision for the Future (Elsevier Link):
Blending digital therapeutics within the healthcare system
by Olivia Clare Keller (a), Alan Jeffrey Budney (b), Cara Ann Struble (b), Gisbert Wilhelm Teepe (a)
(a) Centre for Digital Health Interventions, Department of Management, Technology and Economics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland & (b) Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
This chapter provides insight into the history and status of blended care (BC), a rapidly evolving treatment alternative for mental health and substance use disorders that integrates elements of psychological therapy and digital therapeutics. How do we unlock the enormous potential of BC and scale it to the healthcare system? To this end, we first define what comprises BC, discuss its value to field, and highlight the challenges that confront efforts to expedite its translation from client, provider, and health systems perspectives. Rapid technological advancements and a growing number of clinical applications provide exciting opportunities for improving access to care and optimizing outcomes, but complicate efforts to demonstrate efficacy and disseminate evidence-based recommendations. We describe the continuum of BC options offered to support distinct client populations, including examples of innovative solutions being used around the globe. We conclude with future directions for advancing BC and promoting the integration into healthcare services.