Research Article
MedLink: A Mobile Intervention to Address Failure Points in the Treatment of Depression in General Medicine
@ARTICLE{10.4108/icst.pervasivehealth.2015.259042, author={David Mohr and Enid Montague and Colleen Stiles-Shields and Susan Kaiser and Christopher Brenner and Eric Carty-Fickes and Hannah Palac and Jenna Duffecy}, title={MedLink: A Mobile Intervention to Address Failure Points in the Treatment of Depression in General Medicine}, journal={EAI Endorsed Transactions on Pervasive Health and Technology}, volume={1}, number={3}, publisher={EAI}, journal_a={PHAT}, year={2015}, month={8}, keywords={mental health, mhealth, adherence}, doi={10.4108/icst.pervasivehealth.2015.259042} }- David Mohr
Enid Montague
Colleen Stiles-Shields
Susan Kaiser
Christopher Brenner
Eric Carty-Fickes
Hannah Palac
Jenna Duffecy
Year: 2015
MedLink: A Mobile Intervention to Address Failure Points in the Treatment of Depression in General Medicine
PHAT
EAI
DOI: 10.4108/icst.pervasivehealth.2015.259042
Abstract
Major depression is common, and imposes Major depression is common, and imposes a high burden in terms of cost, morbidity, and suffering. Most people with depression are treated in general medicine using antidepressant medication. Outcomes are poor due to failure points across the care system, including patient non-adherence, failure of physicians to optimize the treatment regimens, and lack of patient-physician communication. This study reports on the 4-week pilot deployment of MedLink, a mobile intervention aimed at systemically addressing each of these failure points. A mobile app provides the patient with information and collects data on symptoms and side-effects. A cellularly enabled pill bottle monitors medication adherence. Data from these are provided to the physician and patient to foster communication and medication adjustments. Usability evaluation was generally favorable. Medication adherence rates in this first deployment were high with no patients discontinuing, and 84% of doses taken. Depressive symptom severity was significantly reduced. This study supports the use of a comprehensive, systemic approach to mHealth solutions to enhance processes of care for depression by general medicine physicians.
Copyright © 2015 D. Mohr et al., licensed to EAI. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), which permits unlimited use, distribution and reproduction in any medium so long as the original work is properly cited.
