The “uberisation” of mental health care: a welcome global phenomenon?

Hickie, Ian B

doi:10.5694/mja2.50342

Topics

Mental disorders

Health services administration

Information science

New health information technologies have the potential to transform the delivery of mental health care

The World Economic Forum has highlighted the capacity for health information technologies to transform health care.1 Four key care themes emerge: smart care (emphasising precision medicine); care anywhere (promoting access closer to home); empowered care (engaging people in their own care); and intelligent health enterprises (using data to drive new solutions).1 More recently, the World Economic Forum has focused on the digital transformation of mental health care,2 highlighting the need to address ethical issues such as privacy, trust and clinical governance.

Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW

Correspondence: ian.hickie@sydney.edu.au

Acknowledgements:

Project Synergy is an Australian Government Department of Health‐funded initiative that is administered by InnoWell Pty Ltd (a joint venture between the University of Sydney and PwC [Australia]).

Competing interests:

Professor Ian Hickie is the Scientific Advisor to, and an equity shareholder in, InnoWell Pty Ltd. InnoWell has been formed by the University of Sydney and PwC [Australia] to deliver the $30 million Australian Government‐funded Project Synergy. Project Synergy is a 3‐year program for the transformation of Australian mental health services through the use of new and innovative technologies.

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