Methods for Navigating the Mobile Mental Health App Landscape for Clinical Use.

Abstract

There are over 10,000 mental health and wellness apps on the market. Apps offer the opportunity to increase access to mental health care. However, with many apps to choose from and an app landscape that is largely unregulated, it can be difficult to incorporate this technology into clinical practice. The first step towards achieving this goal is to identify clinically relevant and appropriate apps. The purpose of this review is to discuss app evaluation, raise awareness of considerations involved in implementing mental health apps into clinical care, and provide an example of how apps can be used effectively in the clinical space. We discuss the current regulatory environment for health apps, how to evaluate apps, and implement them into clinical practice. We also showcase a digital clinic where apps are integrated into the clinical workflow and discuss barriers to app implementation. Mental health apps have the potential to increase access to care if they are clinically effective, easy to use, and protect patient privacy. Learning how to find, evaluate, and implement quality apps into practice is key in harnessing this technology for the benefit of patients.