The role of software in combatting mental illness during COVID-19

Mental health and wellbeing is an increasingly important topic of conversation, as the ongoing impacts of the coronavirus pandemic continues to cause significant disruption to the lives of everyone globally. Social isolation and financial hardship can take its toll on anybody, and a near-constant stream of negative news reports can exacerbate feelings of anxiety or distress.

For many individuals, managing their mental health during this time of uncertainty can be an ongoing challenge. Knowing how to provide support to those affected and linking them with available resources is incredibly important. However, the stigma associated with mental health problems may cause reluctance to seek support for both COVID-19 and mental health conditions.

As an agile, cloud-based platform, Jayex is well positioned to give healthcare providers a helping hand to discreetly and effectively identify mental health patients. Our technology allows us to seamlessly adapt to the changing needs of healthcare providers and tailor information to the current environment. With the company’s transition to the SaaS model, all the tools for our customers are now available in a single, integrated easy-to-use Jayex Connect dashboard.

Since the start of the pandemic we’ve adopted new initiatives to ensure healthcare providers can deliver their mental health services as effectively as possible. These include:

We have preventative health messaging on our Display  monitors within practices. This helps provide patients with the information they need ahead of them asking.

Our healthcare clients have the option to use customised or pre-populated surveys to engage with patients before they see a practitioner via our check-in kiosks. This is useful in asking patients sensitive questions that they may not feel comfortable answering in a face to face consult. By receiving this information via the survey, this may trigger practices to take action and send additional information to the patient if required.

To ensure critical information can be sent out in a timely manner, we have released new Engage templates in our Appointuit  module with specific COVID-19 information. This allows practices to distribute key information, hotline numbers and tips to help manage mental health issues. We are providing this email service at no fee to our clients during the pandemic.

It’s also important to remember the mental health of health care workers in the current environment. The current pandemic is like nothing healthcare workers have seen before. And while the response has been one of resilience, dedication and compassion, it’s essential to acknowledge the enormous pressure that the industry is under.

We encourage healthcare workers to try and use helpful coping strategies such as ensuring sufficient rest and respite during work or between shifts, eating sufficient and healthy food, engaging in physical activity, and staying in contact with family and friends.

At Jayex, as a leading operator in the healthcare sector since 1978, we are committed to helping and guiding health practitioners in “the new normal” for patient care during COVID-19. We believe technology is key to ensuring individuals who need medical support still receive the care they require, and we will continue to use our expertise to help combat the changing needs of the world.