June 13, 2024 (Toronto, ON) – According to data from 2022, over 5 million Canadians (18%) aged 15 and older met the diagnostic criteria for a mood, anxiety, or substance use disorder in the previous 12 months. Of those with a mood, anxiety, or substance use disorder, more than 1 in 3 reported unmet or only partially met mental health care needs.
A4i, a leading digital platform for supporting people with complex behavioural and mental health conditions, completed a one-year evaluation project with The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre (The Royal), one of Canada’s leading mental health care and research centres. With funding support from OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), A4i and The Royal worked together exploring the feasibility of integrating the A4i app and clinical portal into clinical practice. The team at A4i along with The Royal’s managers, clinicians and clients supported the implementation of the technology platform within the Ozerdinc Grimes Family Regional Psychosis Clinic.
“With the right support, people with schizophrenia spectrum illnesses can manage their symptoms and live well. Through this collaboration enabled by OBIO®, we have the potential to expand and strengthen the supports available to our clients using A4i. We are demonstrating how a digital therapeutic mobile app and clinical portal can scale virtual care, care-coordination and create system efficiencies,” said Dr. David Attwood, Clinical Director of the Integrated Schizophrenia Recovery Program at The Royal.
According to Amos Adler, Co-Founder and CEO of A4i, “We were able to see how A4i creates a safe, anonymous virtual community promoting recovery and proactively identifying risk. We’re thrilled with the outcomes.”
Through this project, the two respective organizations worked together to integrate the technology into clinical practice, positively impacting the quadruple aim of healthcare, which includes: improving patient experience, reducing cost, advancing population health and improving the provider experience. Based upon the successful outcomes of the project, the A4i product is ready for procurement within EAHN’s member hospitals.
“We are thrilled to act as the catalyst for innovation and a facilitator for technology partnerships to improve the experience of patients with complex mental health conditions,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “With the positive outcomes from this study, EAHN™ can spur the successful adoption of this technology in the Canadian mental healthcare market."
About A4i
A4i is a platform for supporting people with complex behavioral and mental health conditions. Currently, A4i is being used to target the recovery processes in psychosis and schizophrenia, and newly in opioid use disorders. For more information, please visit a4i.me.
The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre
The Royal is one of Canada’s foremost mental health care and academic health centres. Our mandate is simple: to get more people living with mental illness into recovery faster. The Royal combines the delivery of specialized mental health care, advocacy, research and education to transform the lives of people living with complex and treatment resistant mental illness. For more information, please visit theroyal.ca.
About OBIO®
OBIO®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. For more information, please visit OBIO.ca and follow OBIO® on LinkedIn and X.
Media contacts:
Amos Adler, M.Sc.
CEO
A4i
amos@a4i.me
Andrea Tomkins
Writer
The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre
Andrea.tomkins@theroyal.ca
Doriane Rey
Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications
OBIO®
dorianerey@obio.ca