CAMH creates digital health app for caregivers

TORONTO – MEMOTEXT Corp. has partnered with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) – with help from the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO) through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN) – on a novel SMS-based interactive mental health tool for use by social workers and occupational therapists.

The MEMOTEXT BeWell program is a validated, just-in-time-adaptive-intervention for mental health engagement. Co-created by Dr. Gillian Strudwick (pictured) and Dr. Tracie Risling on the MEMOTEXT platform, the automated intervention checks-in on users and sends relevant mental health and resilience support based on individual needs.

OBIO advances health technology innovation and commercialization through the (EAHN) program, providing funding for studies to help healthcare organizations access innovations. With this funding, CAMH will offer the MEMOTEXT BeWell program to its social workers and occupational therapists. The SMS program will share psychoeducation resources to help maintain or improve the well-being of employees for 12-week cycles.

Resources include curated digital mental health tools, wellness supports, mindfulness tips as well as the promotion of eligible mental health resources.

There is a need to provide support, relief, and tools to help with stress and burnout for all healthcare workers. An organizational study completed in July 2022 stated that social workers and occupational therapists had high rates of burnout compared to other health disciplines. In fact, 50 percent of social workers and 21.3 percent of occupational therapists reported one or more symptom of burnout, including emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and/or a reduced sense of personal accomplishment.

“Through this collaboration with CAMH enabled by OBIO, we’re demonstrating how engagement can be enhanced with the right message at the right time in the right context. We are excited to bring this to the employees of CAMH to offer support for their mental health and well-being,” said Dr. Strudwick.

Dr. Maura Campbell, OBIO’s president and CEO, noted “In the past 3 years, burnout of healthcare workers has been at an all-time high, and OBIO is proud to support the collaboration between the MEMOTEXT BeWell program and CAMH to help improve the well-being of those who are working so hard to care for patients in need.”

About the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization
The Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO), a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN) to provide solutions. OBIO is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. To learn more, visit obio.ca.

About the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
CAMH is Canada’s largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital and a world leading research centre in this field. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to help transform the lives of people affected by mental illness and addiction. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre.

About MEMOTEXT
Trusted since 2012, MEMOTEXT is a platform for co-creation of digital patient engagement communications and digital therapeutics. MEMOTEXT uses health data to identify risk and tailor secure, omni-channel treatment adherence, care-coordination and support communications. MEMOTEXT enables academics/clinicians and commercial partners to co-create evidence-based communications and digital therapeutics (DTx). Together, MEMOTEXT commercializes those interventions with North American provider, insurer and pharmaceutical clients on their digital engagement marketplace.