By Leslie Swafford, Regional Vice President, QliqSOFT, Inc.

It’s easy to feel awkward at your primary care physician’s office — especially if you end up on an exam table wearing nothing but a paper gown. But the screening questions for depression that are recommended for adults during primary care visits shouldn’t be cause for embarrassment. Digital health technology can help in this area.

The stigma regarding mental health has dissipated somewhat over the past several years as prominent entertainers and public figures acknowledge their personal struggles. However, mental disorders remain significant.

Country music star Jimmie Allen, named New Artist of the Year in 2021 by the Country Music Association and nominated for a Grammy this year, has been upfront about the bi-polar disorder that was diagnosed when he was a child. In April, he released an untitled song on YouTube that addressed his very personal struggle. In commentary on Twitter, Allen wrote that he’s struggled with mental illness his entire life, noting that every day is a battle.

According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the nation’s most common mental illness, affecting an estimated 40 million American adults. Nearly one-half of people diagnosed with depression also have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, but fewer than 40 percent of those diagnosed get the treatment they need.

Despite some progress, 84 percent of respondents to a recent survey agree that the stigma surrounding mental illness remains a barrier to treatment for mood disorders, which include bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. Cost is another major barrier, according to the survey from the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

But no one can receive treatment without a diagnosis, which is why the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended depression screening for the general adult population, including pregnant and postpartum women. While important, depression screening during a primary care visit is yet another box that already overworked clinicians need to check. It also can be potentially discomforting for patients to admit to feeling down or thinking that their life has no meaning.

In the age of artificial intelligence (AI) automation, people in general are accustomed to interacting with chatbots in their everyday life, for example, while visiting websites, evaluating products or asking customer service questions.

In healthcare, chatbots can be used to engage with patients prior to the appointment. Moreover, the conversational AI custom technology can ask the right, clinically relevant questions to triage patients and escalate potential cases of mental health issues to clinicians for immediate follow-up care. This approach saves patients the potential self-consciousness of talking to a person while making primary care visits more clinically meaningful and efficient.

There’s nothing embarrassing about experiencing a mental health issue. Chatbots are an innovative way to help put patients at ease discussing their symptoms and getting support.

Leslie Swafford, based in Nashville, Tenn., has nearly 20 years of healthcare informatics experience with a focus on improving patient care delivery, workflow efficiencies and unnecessary expenditures to optimize quality of work life and health outcomes. Email Leslie at leslie.swafford@qliqsoft.com to start the conversation or visit https://www.qliqsoft.com.