Preliminary findings support the feasibility of comprehensive e-health systems in enhancing the delivery of mental health care.

Preliminary findings support the feasibility of comprehensive e-health systems in enhancing the delivery of mental health care.

This uncontrolled study evaluates the efficacy of a combined treatment of medications (for the majority of patients) and a closed group, intensive (two-week) cognitive-behaviour therapy programme for heterogeneous groups of psychiatric patients. Five hundred and thirty-one patients at a private psychiatric clinic were included in the study. Self-report measures of depression, anxiety, self-esteem and "locus of control" were administered before and after treatment and at intervals up to one year later. Statistically and clinically significant improvements were found in all measures and these improvements were maintained up to one year. The results provide support for the efficacy of the treatment.

This uncontrolled study evaluates the efficacy of a combined treatment of medications (for the majority of patients) and a closed group, intensive (two-week) cognitive-behaviour therapy programme for heterogeneous groups of psychiatric patients. Five hundred and thirty-one patients at a private psychiatric clinic were included in the study. Self-report measures of depression, anxiety, self-esteem and "locus of control" were administered before and after treatment and at intervals up to one year later. Statistically and clinically significant improvements were found in all measures and these improvements were maintained up to one year. The results provide support for the efficacy of the treatment.

Non-adherence to treatment presents a significant obstacle to achieving favourable health outcomes. We have studied consumers' adherence to an online disease management system for depression, called Recovery Road. Recovery Road was implemented on a pilot basis for mental health care in Western Australia. Recovery Road was available for use by consumers and clinicians to augment usual treatment. One hundred and thirty consumers who had been diagnosed with major depression were enrolled. Consumers who used Recovery Road (n = 98) were provided with education, progress monitoring, e-consultation, e-diary and online evidenced-based therapy. Consumers received either standard, automated adherence reminders by email (n = 69), or case management, which included personalized email and telephone follow-up in response to non-adherence (n = 29). After the first eight sessions, the adherence was 84% in the case management group and 55% in the automatic reminders group. The results suggest that case management increases adherence to online disease management systems.