User representative Stine Hope Spjeld

We are pleased to present Stine Hope Spjeld (29), user representative in Forhelse. Stine is employed by Forhelse to contribute her user experience to ensure that the user perspective in the center is taken care of. She is a trained nurse, and will soon finish further education in e-health. She also works as a nurse in eMeistring Helse Bergen, and is a part of the experience panel for mental health and substance abuse in Helse Bergen. She has participated in several projects, and is passionate about promoting user participation and the user perspective within digital mental health services.   

– What is your motivation for being a user representative for Forhelse?

I have a great commitment to increased availability of treatment services, quality, communication, user participation and comprehensive health services. My motivation for being a user representative for Forhelse is to include the user perspective, and ensure that the users of digital mental health services have a central role in the center.

– What makes you think that a center as such is important?

I think such a center is important for quality, research, knowledge, competence, innovation and further development in the health service.

– How can the center ensure that the user perspective is taken care of?

The center must be curious, open and interested in the users’ perspective, needs and experiences. Surveys and user surveys should be made over time, as the needs can change along the way. Users; patients, relatives and user representatives must be involved as resources and equal partners.

– What do you think your most important contribution as a user representative will be?

My most important contribution as a user representative will be to be a clear voice for users of digital mental health services, both patients and relatives. I will work to ensure that users have the opportunity and access to influence, develop and contribute to change. I will do this by actively participating, being open and interested in all relevant processes in the center.

– What do you think could be the biggest challenges for this center?

One of the challenges for the center may well be the time aspect. In relation to change and development in the health service and with the user partners, considering that the center will exist for eight years. Another challenge may be scattered environments and locations for the various people involved in the center.

– In what way do you think that the digital mental health sercvices benefit the patients?

I believe that the use of digital mental health services can contribute to increased availability of treatment, and that patients for whom this format is suitable will find it useful that they can to a greater extent adapt treatment to their own everyday lives and routines.

– What do you think distinguishes digital treatment from ordinary face-to-face treatment, and what are the advantages and disadvantages?

The main difference is probably the format. Treatment is performed digitally, or so-called traditionally where the patient and therapist meet face-to-face. There are pros and cons to both. Advantages of digital treatment can be that the treatment is available anytime and anywhere, as long as one has internet. It can provide increased availability of treatment to people who live far away from the nearest treatment center. The treatment can be experienced as flexible, and can be adapted to your own everyday life and routines. Some disadvantages of digital processing can be challenges with the technical, or with concentration difficulties or reading and writing difficulties if it is digital treatment with lots of text and tasks. There is also a possibility that misunderstandings can more easily arise from written contact than from oral face-to-face treatment.

 – What do you think can be improved in today’s healthcare and services? 

I am interested in holistic health services. If I am to highlight something that can be improved, there is a desire in the future for a more holistic health service that communicates and interacts better across different disciplines, hospitals and municipalities. For example, across somatic and psychiatric health services. I also see an increasing need when it comes to patient follow-up after a diagnosis/hospitalization, such as offering treatment and coping programs to people with chronic diseases/conditions. In addition to increased focus on offers and follow-up for relatives.

 – Have you received feedback from patients who have used digital mental health services? If so, what do patients say about the services?

I have received feedback from people who have either used digital mental health services or who want more information about the offer. In general, many are open and positive about the fact that the treatment is so flexible in terms of time and place, and that it can be adapted to their everyday life. Some express that they have postponed treatment because they do not want to physically show up for treatment. Others say that digital treatment does not sound like a good treatment plan for them. This is because they prefer to meet therapists face-to-face, and need a clear structure and framework, such as specific time and place for the treatment. It must be emphasized that this will be completely individual from person to person.

Annual report 2020

Forhelse has sent the first annual report to Forskningsrådet.

You can read the report here

We wish you a happy and healthy easter

From vision to action

The Research Centre for Digital Mental Health Services (Forhelse) opened on December 14th 2020, and is a Center for research-driven innovation (SFI). The centre’s ambitious main goal is that the use of digital mental health services should increase to 15% by 2025 and to 20% by 2030. Centre director Tine Nordgreen informs and summarizes after a few months of work in the center.

What does it mean that Forhelse is an SFI?

The fact that we are an SFI commits. The research must be of very high quality both nationally and internationally. Research shall not take place for the sake of research, but shall promote innovation, further development and growth for the user partners in the center.

What is an SFI?:

  • The SFI scheme shall strengthen innovation through investment in long-term research in close collaboration between R&D-active companies and prominent research environments. SFI develops competence at a high international level in areas that are important for innovation and value creation.
  • The scheme will strengthen transfer of technology, internationalization and researcher education.
  • Co-financing is required between the host institution, partners and the Research Council. Companies must actively participate in the center’s management, funding and research. The centers are established for a maximum period of five plus three years.
  • The main criterion for selecting centers is the potential for innovation and value creation. Scientific quality in research must be at a high international level.

Which activities have taken place in the centre until now?

Two joint meetings have been held for all partners, and monthly meetings are planned. So far, these have been digital, but it is desirable to carry out physical gatherings when the conditions are right. The leaders of the work packages have meetings with the center management every other week, and the first board meeting in the center was held on February 18th. In addition, we have hired a user representative, center coordinator and have our first PhD announcement. A centre handbook is also being prepared, and will be a great tool for partners, as well as useful in terms of dissemination.

What will be the most important work in the near future?

The most important thing now in the beginning is to work with clarification of expectations and to find good forms of cooperation in and between center management, work packages and the various partners. One thing is the expectations now in the beginning, but there is a tremendous development in this field, and there will be need for continuous focus on expectations throughout the centre period. For some partners, it is important to have a documented effect to increase use and sales. For others, such as eMeistring and Mage-tarmskolen, which are well-documented and recognized measures, it is desirable to work on making them national scalable models and to get it recognized equally with traditional treatment/face-to-face treatment.

What are the biggest challanges in the time ahead?

It is undoubtedly the time aspect. The development in the field is very fast. The business community is well accustomed to and good at quick adjustments, while the health services and researchers often need more time and can often spend multiple years on impact studies. The centre will exist for eight years, so we have some work to do, to ensure good research and at the same time benefit for the user partners.

 How would you summarize the time period from the opening until today?

We have been very lucky with our partners and our team. Everyone involved is experienced and has a great commitment to the field. This also includes the international experts associated with the centre. I feel like there is a great degree of common understanding of problems, and that we are well covered in various cycles in innovation and service development.

Collaboration across work packages has already emerged. Work package 2 (cost-benefit) and work package 4 (implementation) work together on a common research protocol where the focus will be on understanding the existing implementation and organizational models. This shows that we already complement each other well as a team, and this is a very good basis for further work.

Youwell won bid with INTROMAT interventions

Youwell have won a bid for two of INTROMAT’s interventions in a tender competition announced by The Norwegian Directorate of Health. The competition was for digital self-help tools, where Youwell placed bids in two categories; adolescents age 13-20 and the adult population. The two interventions will be made accessible on helsenorge.no, in their toolbox, in fall of 2021.

Co-mestring, a digital self-help program for people experiencing increased stress and worry in conjunction with the Covid-19 pandemic. In Co-mestring, participants learn about mild to moderate mental health affections of the pandemic, as well as learning about tools and tasks to handle everyday life.

UngSpotlight, a digital self-help program for adolescents with fear of public speaking. Made for adolescents age 13-20, this program is a 6 week program where you learn about social anxiety and different coping mechanisms to alleviate the fear of public speaking.

The digital interventions have been developed in a collaboration with Helse Bergen, who have created clinical content and tested the programs. The effects are documented and show reduction in symptoms of fear of public speaking for UngSpotlight, and reduction in anxiety- and depression symptoms for Co-mestring.

Winning this bid is a milestone for Youwell, and we are excited to share these tools with the Norwegian population.

Facsimile from the newspaper BA 03.07.2021

Get to know our industry partners: Lifekeys

Lifekeys started in 2017 and is an online therapy service that offers video consultations and theme based seminars with selected psychologists. They have established themselves as experts within online therapy services, and they have innovative solutions of a high quality and standard that makes access to psychologists easier when the need arises – independent of who needs help. Lifekeys are a part of work package three, early HTA, and will contribute to research on how decision makers can get decision-making-support in an early stage of the process of innovation and change.

CCO, Erik Hellestøl

– What motivated you to join the centre?

We want to contribute to more people getting access to high quality research based digital mental health solutions. Good digital solutions are important to lower the threshold for seeking help and therefore contributes to early interventions.

– What is you role and contribution in the work package?

We are an industry partner in the project and will contribute competence, experience and technology within the field of digital mental health solutions.

– What significance does research have on your business?

Research on digital solutions within the mental health field is an important part of our foundation. We believe in innovative solutions that are evidence based and research is a central part of what we do. Through Forhelse we will be able to gain better knowledge of existing needs and challenges and how we contribute to solving them.

– In your experience, what is the greatest challenges in working with researchers/being part of a research project?

In our experience, working with researchers can be demanding, especially working across public and private sector. It is important that Forhelse work towards a clear common understanding of our roles. Forhelse comprises a lot of god competency and knowledge, and we believe that we will succeed together. Focus on mental health is good social economics, it is good for industry economy and it is important for each individual as well. We believe that all these factors are part of this research centre.

– What do you wish to gain from you participation in the centre?

Through our participation in the centre, we wish to gain better knowledge of the effect of digital interventions and, in turn, be able to further develop our solutions.

Get to know our industry partners: Helse i Hardanger

Helse i Hardanger was founded in 2018 and is a not-for-profit business. They offer a targeted cross-disciplinary health service to people with challenges related to breathing difficulties, musculoskeletal problems, anxiety and depression, diabetes type 2 and residual after effects of Covid 19. In Forhelse Helse in Hardanger will contribute to WP 1 where we will carry out a clinical effectiveness study on digital mental health treatment for adults with musculoskeletal problems. Managing director, Janiche Buanes Heltne have answered some questions related to their role in Forhelse:

Managing director, Janiche Buanes Heltne

– What was your motivation for joining Forhelse?

Helse i Hardanger is a new operation that targets its work towards people with chronic illnesses. We are concerned with the large and vulnerable illnesses, and focus on effective treatment. Our treatment consists of a thorough evaluation, a short treatment stay at our institution with cross-disciplary focus on change. After the stay the individual works on implementing new habits. We wish to collaborate with Forhelse that, for us, presents as a robust and solid academic environment.

– What is your role/contribution to the WP you are a part of?

Helse i Hardanger contributes to WP 1 and we will, together with researchers, investigate pain in people with musculoskeletal problems. Our sub-project will start in 2023.

– What impact does research have on your business?

Everything we do is based on research. The treatment we will be testing will only continue if it proves to be effective.

– In you experience, what challenges are related to working with researchers/participate in a research project?

Many opportunities arise when clinicians and researchers meet. The challenges are mostly financial; we are required to self-fund which can be challenging.

– What do you hope to achieve throughout the 8 years?

We hope to achieve:

  • Focus on the large illnesses so that patients are offered better and more effective treatment. Integrate somatic and mental health through exploring a cross-disciplinary treatment model.
  • Expand our network
  • Collaboration across disciplines, sectors and areas both nationally and internationally.

Read more about Helse i Hardanger here.

Get to know our industry partners: Youwell

Youwell is a Bergen-based IT company that focuses on making innovative digital tools and services for training and treating mental and somatic disorders. Since 2016 Youwell has been a part of the ICT lighthouse project INTROMAT, owned by Helse Bergen HF and funded by RCN. In Forhelse Youwell will contribute to work package 1 that focuses on treatment effectiveness. Managing director Jonny Klemetsen has answered our questions:

Managing director Youwell, Jonny Klemetsen

– What was your motivation for joining the centre?

There are multiple factors that motivates us to participate in the centre. Firstly, we hope to create societal benefits by creating new digital interventions that can contribute to a better future for adolescents with anxiety. If we can contribute to giving youth a better life, it is worth the effort. Secondly, we hope there will be a financial benefit, and that we can create interventions that people will pay to use. Securing financing to develop new digital interventions is pertinent for us, as well as developing our technical platform.

Lastly, we enjoy the learning curve of working with this field, working with researchers, and learning how digital technology can be utilized in tomorrow’s healthcare services.

– What is your role/contribution to your work package?

Our main contribution is to make our platform available for creating new digital interventions and collaboration between the parties surrounding the health services. Beyond that, we contribute personnel hours from our service designer, UX and development competency in order to tailor the technology.

– What significance does research have on your business?

Our technology is developed together with insightful researchers. This insight is something that we cannot gain on our own, so without research we would struggle. It is also a wonderful opportunity to gain knowledge about the mental health field. We attract competent people because of our participation in the centre, and because people find this work meaningful.

– In your experience, what is the greatest challenges in working with researchers/being part of a research project?

In our experience the researchers have a high level of competency and knowledge of their field that merges well with our competency in technology. Through the INTROMAT project, we have learned how researchers work and vice versa. Our knowledge of each other’s disciplines enables us to make better plans, and to deliver according to those plans.

What do you wish to achieve during the next 8 years?

We hope to be able to document that digital interventions implemented in Bergen Municipality has an effect on users. We are also invested in developing new products and services based on the insight we will gain through the centre.

Read more about Youwell here: