Integrating AI into Mental Health Care

The AI2 project offers a solution to the challenge of hospital overcrowding and mental health relapses by leveraging artificial intelligence technology. Through the development of a digital clinical decision support system, AI2 monitors and analyses data from various sources, including Medicare and electronic health records, to detect patterns indicative of an impending relapse in mental health patients. This proactive approach allows healthcare providers to intervene early and provide targeted support to patients, reducing the likelihood of hospital admissions.

The AI2 system not only alerts healthcare providers about a patient's status but also prompts them to engage with the patient and follow up on their care. By extending AI2 to provide suggestions to patients for self-management, the project aims to empower individuals to take proactive steps in managing their condition. This approach reduces the burden on the healthcare system by focusing on prevention and early intervention rather than reacting to crises.

This research has expanded to focus on other use cases in medicine review, cardiology, chronic disease and pain with further funding from Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre, Medical Research Future Fund and the Hospital Research Foundation Group. Leveraging the capabilities and experiences from this initiative we are in the process of launching an innovation accelerator partnership program for researchers with similar challenges. In parallel CareMappr Pty Ltd has been founded to support ongoing research and drive commercial growth globally. 

Up to 80% of mental health patients experience relapses within five years of their initial treatment, highlighting the urgency of finding effective strategies to prevent setbacks.

The current healthcare system often relies on reactive and crisis-driven care, where patients seek medical assistance only after their condition worsens. This reactive approach puts additional pressure on emergency departments and can lead to delays in care for patients. By focusing on early warning signs and trends, AI2 seeks to shift the paradigm towards proactive and preventive care.

Through implementation of AI2 in mental health clinics across South Australia, the project has demonstrated its potential in improving patient outcomes and reducing the strain on emergency departments. This success has paved the way for its expansion to address other chronic health conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. By utilising artificial intelligence and data-driven interventions, the project seeks to optimise healthcare delivery, enhance patient care, and alleviate pressure on the healthcare system.