Tranquility Online - Digital Mental Health Care

Gibson Manick Kistan
CEO, Tranquility Online App, on Digital Mental Healthcare at Healthcare Innovation Summit Africa 2024.

1. TRANQUILITY ONLINE APP      A Digital Space For All

2. Simple Fast Effective

3. USER FRIENDLY

4. THERAPEUTIC PROCESS

5. CONTINUUM OF CARE

6. THERAPIES

7. SERVICE PROVIDERS

8. Information Portal for Professionals Access to a range of treatment-based articles, videos Screening tools Diagnostic tools Prognosis tools Treatment protocols Case Management including Online MDT Meetings Continuum of Care – including Online Support Groups Research & Development Team Training Team Debriefing Sessions – Heal the Healer Material will be hosted for professionals, for ongoing training and skills development.

9.                                             1 of 3     Key Issues in Mental Health 1.Lack of Accessibility:    - Challenge : Many people face barriers to accessing mental health services.    - Impact : Limited support for those in need. 2. Insufficient mental health care Professionals:   - Challenge : There are not enough mental health providers, especially in remote areas.    - Impact : Longer wait times and reduced or no access to care. 3. Lack of Training: - Challenge : Professionals may lack specialized training. - Impact : May lead to less effective treatment. 4. Culturally Irrelevant Practices: - Challenge : Services may not be tailored to diverse cultural needs.   - Impact : Ineffective treatment and lack of engagement. PRESENTING PROBLEMS

10.                     2 of 3   5. Stigma:​                                - Challenge : Negative attitudes towards mental health prevent many from seeking help.​    - Impact : Reduced willingness to get support.​ 6. Misinformation:​    - Challenge : Misunderstandings about mental health conditions and treatments.​    - Impact : Poor treatment choices and adherence.​ 7. Misdiagnosis:​    - Challenge : Conditions may be incorrectly diagnosed.​    - Impact : Inappropriate or ineffective treatments.​ 8. Inadequate Facilities:​    - Challenge : Mental health facilities often lack resources and Professionals    - Impact : Limited treatment options and overcrowding .​ PRESENTING PROBLEMS

11.                          3 of 3 9. Poor Screening & Referral:​​             - Challenge : Insufficient screening and referral processes.​​    - Impact : Delays in receiving appropriate care.​​ 10. Delayed Diagnosis of Disorders:​​     - Challenge : Late diagnosis of conditions like ADHD and autism.​​     - Impact : Hinders early intervention and treatment.​​ 11. Inadequate Continuum of Care:​​     - Challenge : Lack of coordination in ongoing treatment.​​     - Impact : Gaps in care and worsening conditions.​​ 12. Inadequate ongoing Training and Supervision:​​     - Challenge : Insufficient training and oversight for professionals.​​     - Impact : Inconsistent quality of care PRESENTING PROBLEMS

12. Features and benefits     In-app virtual consultation An innovative App developed by leading IT professionals Simplified access to mental health support 24-hour emergency live chat Rapid response times All communication is In App- From booking of appointments, live chat and information portal to referrals, follow up appointments and prescriptions

13. Features and benefits Information Portal for Clients  Multi-lingual Well researched and updated information Multi-Medium Communication Videos  Podcasts  Text Articles Animated videos

14. Affordable Access: Provides low-cost mental health services, making quality care accessible to more people. Comprehensive Resources: Offers educational content, self-help tools, and early screening to help users understand and manage their mental health. Community Support: Connects users with peer support groups to reduce isolation and share coping strategies. Holistic Approach: Considers all aspects of a person's life, ensuring balanced care without over-reliance on medication.​ Not restricted to only Symptom Management. Addressing Under therapy

15. Personalized Care: Tailors treatment plans to individual needs, avoiding unnecessary interventions & costs.​ Professional Guidance: Provides expert consultations and coordinated care, preventing excessive or redundant treatments.​ Benefits: ​ Balanced and Appropriate Care: Ensures users get the right level of treatment.​ Cost-Effective: Saves money by avoiding unnecessary treatments.​ Empower Users: Equips users with knowledge and tools to manage their own mental health under supervision Tranquility Online offers a practical and accessible solution for managing mental health, ensuring users receive the appropriate level of care.​ Addressing Over therapy ​

16. Reliability of connection through Twilio Ensures a stable and secure communication platform, essential for confidential discussions between clients and counselors Historical data retained on a secure cloud The ability to securely store past interactions and information on a cloud platform facilitates informed decision-making and trend analysis for government entities regarding the mental health needs of the population Networking

17. Push Notifications & Email notifications Timely reminders and updates about appointments and medication enhance adherence to mental health treatment Global Communications Networking

18. All communications between systems will be encrypted using TLS encryptions. Platform is secured with a secure transfer protocol so that all data transferred is encrypted over a secure connection. Each logged-in session is secured with a temporary session token.  Passwords are stored using HS256 for encryption. The App has been built as a Progresive Web Application and is available across all smart devices. All data is securely stored in Mongo Data base and is Encrypted. Application data is hosted and secured by ​ Google console Services. ​   These conform to ​  the POPI standards and all relevant user data will ​  then be encrypted and stored securely ​ All user chats, video and voice calls are hosted by Twilio hosting services The System is an All in One App aimed at keeping the user within the app at all times. Notifications and Global messaging are Hosted with Sendgrid allowing secure communication I.T &Security

19. Notes can be captured in app Secure documentation of counselling sessions facilitates continuity of care and collaboration between therapists and multi-disciplinary teams, Permission of client required . Sharing of notes with Client and referring them to relevant information.

20. Value Proposition             1 of 2  Improved Access: The app can significantly expand access to mental  health services, especially for underserved communities.  Early Intervention: Self-help modules and peer support can empower users to identify and address mental health concerns early on, potentially preventing more serious issues.   Reduced Stigma: A user-friendly app can normalize seeking help for mental health, reducing stigma and encouraging help-seeking behavior.   Supporting Professionals: The app can act as a triage tool, helping to identify those who need more specialized care from mental health professionals.

21.                                2 of 2 Data & Insights : The app can collect valuable data on user behavior and mental health trends, informing future mental health policy and interventions. Cultural Exchange and Sensitivity: Exposure to different cultural backgrounds can enrich the therapeutic experience, fostering understanding and offering new approaches to treatment. Convenience and Flexibility: Telehealth services enable users to access care from anywhere, providing flexible scheduling options that accommodate work schedules and lifestyles.

22. Tranquility-Online, Bridging the Gap 1. Accessibility and Affordability: -Gap: Many in the public sector struggle to access mental health services due to financial constraints or limited availability. - Value: Tranquility-Online can bridge this gap by providing affordable and easily accessible mental health support through its app. Users can book appointments with professionals, access resources, and receive evidence-based interventions without financial barriers. 2. Holistic Approach: -Gap: Traditional mental health services often focus solely on symptom management, neglecting broader aspects of well-being. -Value: Tranquility-Online holistic approach addresses mental health comprehensively. It considers not only symptoms but also lifestyle, stressors, and contributing factors.

23. 3. Prevention and Early Intervention: -Gap: The public sector faces challenges in providing timely interventions to prevent mental health deterioration. -Value: Tranquility-Online can offer early intervention tools, self-help resources, and personalized guidance. By diagnosing issues early, it contributes to preventative care, reducing the burden on the health system. 4. Capacity Building: -Gap: Public health facilities often lack sufficient mental health professionals. - Value: Tranquility-Online can serve as a capacity-building tool. It empowers users with self-management skills. 5. Data-Driven Insights: - Gap: Data collection and analysis are essential for evidence-based decision-making. - Value: Tranquility-Online can generate valuable data on mental health trends, user needs, and outcomes. 

24. SCREENING COST TO MEDICIAL AIDS Job creation for Semi-professionals in mental health(honour students, registered counsellors, auxiliary social workers, etc.) – fills the gap in the system for those who need jobs but aren’t deemed qualified enough or don’t have enough experience Screening team can also counsel under supervision TIER 1

25. In-house specialists Immediate referrals from screening team to a specialised team MDT Meeting – at any time specialists can call a case management meeting. Assessment MDT; Diagnostic MDT; Ongoing/Continuous MDT Supervision & Moderation of Frontline Team on the screening team Can use in-app Note functionality to do real-time treatment Real- Time Escalation/Intervention Mitigates time Loss , loss of patient information , cost of extra consult, Early interventions with significant others of the client - partners, friends, co-workers, nannies, etc can be added to an ongoing consult In severe cases (suicide) – intervention with a specialists can occur immediately TIER 2

26. TIER 3 Counselling for professionals Process groups for clinicians Debriefing of Counsellors Support groups For any mental health diagnosis Sponsor & Mentorship Regular meetings Support group for significant others Guidance on re-integration

27. 22/05/2024

28. Anxiety Animation

29. CONNECTING REAL PEOPLE IN REAL TIME

30. The Vision The vision is to make mental health care accessible to all Africans that may require treatment. The application provides all the requisite tools required to receive treatment options that best suits the individual.