Kaiser Permanente adds tech to mental health care in San Mateo

Kaiser Permanente mental health therapists at the recently-opened Bovet San Mateo office are using iPads and software to treat patients and track their progress. This new, innovative program helps Kaiser Permanente psychologists and addiction specialists assess patients and alert therapists about critical issues needing attention.

The Bovet Mental Health Center in San Mateo, opened last year, is among the first Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers to use the iPads and software, which will be rolled out to all Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Northern California, and eventually, nationwide

“This technology gives Kaiser Permanente mental health caregivers an update on their patients’ condition over time,” said Dr. Paul Wilson, Chief of Psychiatry at the Kaiser Permanente Redwood City and Bovet offices. “This type of evidence-based treatment, which includes a detailed view of patient progress, has not traditionally been used in psychological therapy.”

As patients come in for their appointments, they are given an iPad and asked to answer health-related questions. Their answers are securely transmitted into a software program. The software evaluates patient progress over time, giving Kaiser Permanente therapists a tool to use when making treatment decisions.

The use of technology was an integral part of the design process for the Kaiser Permanente Bovet Mental Health Center in San Mateo. Group rooms include widescreen wall-mounted video monitors to enhance staff-training programs. A special room also was developed to allow video visits, where patients can conveniently meet with their therapists in secure, online sessions.

“This innovative office is home to a highly-skilled team of mental health professionals dedicated to caring for our members who would otherwise have to travel greater distances to receive care,” said William Firtch, MD, physician in chief for Kaiser Permanente’s Redwood City Medical Center. “We are pleased to bring our integrated model of mental health care to this community in a manner that is convenient and accessible.”

The Kaiser Permanente San Mateo Mental Health Center, located at 177 Bovet Road, is an office of Kaiser Permanente Redwood City, and it is part of a Kaiser Permanente $175 million investment to provide high-quality mental health care in a warm, healing environment.