What if there was a personalized, interactive health tool that:
The e-Mental Health project is working to do this by implementing Innowell across Alberta for clients and providers to use together.
Innowell provides:
Measurement-Based Care: Questionnaires across 20 mental health and substance use domains that track symptoms so you can check-in, set treatment goals, and track progress during treatment. These results are not meant to provide a diagnosis, but to give you and your provider an idea of what areas to focus on.
Virtual Support: A suite of apps and resources that you can use in addition to the work done with your provider in session.
Crisis Resources: Crisis helplines and websites to provide help at your fingertips when you need it.
The project's goal is to identify how incorporating Innowell and measurement into care improves client outcomes. This project also has the benefit of gathering data that will help improve the healthcare system by better understanding client needs and outcomes.
What is it?
The Innowell Platform is a web-based tool that is available on your phone, computer, or tablet.
How is it used in my sessions?
Learn about Innowell and your care journey.
How do I get access to the Innowell Platform?
The Innowell Platform is available at select AHS Addiction & Mental Health clinics, Primary Care Networks (PCN), schools, and community partners across Alberta. To use the Innowell Platform, you must access services at one of these sites and be invited to use the platform by your provider.
Here are the steps:
Learn More
Measurement-based care involves clients completing questionnaires regularly to track symptoms so that changes can be made to treatment plans when needed. It is a research-based practice that has shown vast improvements in client outcomes and quality of care.
What do I need to do if I decide to participate?
Involvement in the e-Mental Health project is easy. If you decide to use Innowell with your provider, you will receive an invitation from Innowell. If you are aged 15-24, you will also be invited to participate in a research study. Once you’re on Innowell, you will use it as a regular part of your care with your provider.
Where do I sign into my account?
If you have been invited by your provider and accepted your invitation via email, you can sign into Innowell.
Note: The Innowell platform is NOT currently available in the app stores.
What areas of mental health are covered?
Innowell can help with a variety of mental health concerns. There are over 20 questionnaires that cover a range of topics related to mental health. Questionnaires are meant to track your experiences and symptoms, not diagnose you with a specific mental health condition.
Questionnaires cover:
You can skip any questionnaires you do not want to answer.
How do I use this?
This is something you do every session with your provider. It helps you to tell your provider what is important to you, set goals, track how you are doing over time, and take an active role in your treatment and recovery.
How long will it take?
Full Questionnaire: It takes about 40 minutes to complete the full questionnaire.
Requested Questionnaires: Once you have completed the full questionnaire, you will work with your provider to identify your priority areas and which questionnaires you will complete every session. This smaller set of questionnaires should take 5-10 minutes to complete each session.
You can complete the questionnaires at your own pace either on your own or with your provider. You can also skip questionnaires if you would like. At any point, you can pause and come back to complete the questionnaires later.
When can I update or view my answers?
Anytime. Once you have accepted your Innowell invitation, you can access the platform whenever you like – both in and outside of sessions with your provider. You can update your answers, use apps, or access crisis resources at any time. Talk to your provider about the best time to update your questionnaires, for example, before your session, in the waiting room, or in the first few minutes of your session.
Can my friends and family be involved?
You can invite a support person like a friend, family member, partner, or teacher to give input about your mental health, everyday functioning, and overall health. Your support person will be invited by Innowell to answer a short questionnaire, but they do not see any of your results. You can add, remove, or change your support person at any time. Ask your provider for more information about adding a support person.
How much does it cost?
Innowell is completely free to clients and providers. It is funded by the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions, and Alberta Health Addiction & Mental Health COVID-19 Response Grant.
Who can see my results?
Your Innowell data will be seen by you and your mental health team, and used as a tool to keep track of how you are doing. Your Innowell data is not automatically linked to your health care record. As long as your team is using Innowell, your results can inform your care. You may choose to invite a support person who can answer a short questionnaire about your mental health, everyday functioning, and overall health, but your support person does not see your results. Ask your provider for more information about who is on your mental health team and can see your results.
Is my data safe?
Your Innowell account is password protected. Only you and your mental health team will be able to see your questionnaire responses. Innowell data is stored on a secure server. AHS has completed a Privacy Impact Assessment to ensure this healthcare data is properly collected and stored.
We are aiming to identify how incorporating Innowell and measurement into care improves client outcomes and experiences. When analysts look at the outcome results, they will:
Participants may withdraw their consent to be part of the study at any time by contacting emh@ahs.ca.
