Innovative technoloy in Mental Health assistance. Survey of WhatsApp usage given to Argentine psychiatrists and psychologists

Abstract

Objective: Communication between patients and mental health professionals by means of messaging platforms in the interval between synchronous encounters became a kind of asynchronous teleconsultation (AT) whose usefulness and effect on providers’ workload have not been explored. Method: Mental health providers working in Argentina were invited to answer a survey exploring the intensity and usefulness of AT, and the resulting overload. Results: A total of 527 responses from professionals working throughout the country were received. As much as 69% of respondents exchanged messages with a mean of 1- 10 patients/day and 31% with more than 10 patients/day; 75% answered messages over mobile phones on weekends. While 68% rated these interactions as positive for clinical follow-up, 47% considered them as a source of work overload. Conclusions: The generalized adoption of AT may require additional self-regulation by clinicians and regular monitoring of overload levels (particularly, among psychiatrists) to make their daily clinical practice efficient and sustainable.