Self management for people with schizophrenia: a pilot in two mental health institutions

PURPOSE: Improving quality of life and quality and management of care of clients with a schizophrenic disorder by the use of a comprehensive internet based disease management (DM) platform. Presenting factors influencing the implementation of an internet based DM platform for clients with schizophrenia. CONTEXT: The project started in December 2008. Two mental health care institutions in the south of the Netherlands participate in the implementation of the digital instrument (the DM platform). The implementation of the DM platform will be followed by a process and an effect evaluation. DATA SOURCE: Measurement instruments: In the effect evaluation, quality of life, number of symptoms of schizophrenia, quality of care, social functioning, self management, and insight in schizophrenia and its treatment will be measured. Process evaluation: Semi-structured interviews will be held with different (formal primary and secondary, and informal) caregivers, managers and clients of each institute. These interviews will be conducted before the implementation of the platform and one, two and three years later. CASE DESCRIPTION: In the digital platform the guideline for people with schizophrenia will be implemented and also information for clients and their home caregivers. When the platform is ready clients will be able to communicate digital with their caregivers in the mental health institute and with their home caregivers and GPs. They also get information and feed-back about their illness and psycho education. (PRELIMINARY) CONCLUSIONS: The effect evaluation starts in September 2009, the process evaluation has started in May 2009. We will have the first results in June 2009; they will be used to adjust the implementation and the development of the DM platform. In the meantime we can report about the building of the DM platform and what the expectations from the future users are. DISCUSSION: – What are the factors that influence the process of implementation of a digital tool that provides help and care on a distance? – In what way does the digital tool (care from a distance) stimulate people who need chronically care to be more self-supporting? – In what way does the digital tool support professionals to be able to stimulate people with schizophrenia to be more self-supporting?