Integrating Smartphone Technology at the Time of Discharge from a Child and Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatry Unit

Researchers in the Department of Psychiatry at Western University conducted a study to look at the effectiveness of youth using the Be Safe App when being discharged from the Inpatient Psychiatry Unit at the hospital. The results of this study were published in the The Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in 2016. 

“Our results suggest that integrating smartphone-related interventions earlier in an admission might improve access before discharge.”

“The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends mobile devices as an option for providing support and therapy to people at risk of suicide and emphasizes the importance of effective and collaborative communication during transitions of care (e.g. from inpatient to outpatient)(World Health Organization, 2014a).”

“The Be Safe development model emphasizes that youth always have a voice in the decision process about the updates needed to keep the tool relevant.”