TY  - JOUR
AU  - Bønes, Erlend
AU  - Granja, Conceição
AU  - Solvoll, Terje
PY  - 2023
DA  - 2023/2/9
TI  - Experiences and Expectations of Information and Communication Technologies in Flexible Assertive Community Treatment Teams: Qualitative Study
JO  - JMIR Form Res
SP  - e42796
VL  - 7
KW  - mental health
KW  - FACT
KW  - electronic health records
KW  - eHealth
KW  - EHR
KW  - electronic whiteboards
KW  - community
KW  - treatment
KW  - qualitative
KW  - COVID-19
KW  - patient care
KW  - mental illness
KW  - information technology
KW  - thematic analysis
KW  - data access
KW  - information and communication solutions
KW  - ICT
KW  - Norway
KW  - semistructured interviews
AB  - Background: Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) is a model of integrated care for patients with long-term serious mental illness. FACT teams deliver services using assertive outreach to treat patients who can be hard to reach by the health care service, and focus on both the patient’s health and their social situation. However, in Norway, FACT team members have challenges with their information and communication (ICT) solutions. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore Norwegian FACT teams’ experiences and expectations of their ICT solutions, including electronic health records, electronic whiteboards, and calendars. Methods: We gathered data in two phases. In the first phase, we conducted semistructured interviews with team leaders and team coordinators, and made observations in FACT teams targeting adults. In the second phase, we conducted semistructured group interviews in FACT teams targeting youth. We performed a thematic analysis of the data in a theoretical manner to address the specific objectives of the study. Results: A total of 8 teams were included, with 5 targeting adults and 3 targeting youth. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were not able to perform observations in 2 of the teams targeting adults. Team leaders and coordinators in all 5 teams targeting adults were interviewed, with a total of 7 team members participating in the teams targeting youth. We found various challenges with communication, documentation, and organization for FACT teams. The COVID-19 pandemic was challenging for the teams and changed the way they used ICT solutions. There were issues with some technical solutions used in the teams, including electronic health records, electronic whiteboards, and calendars. Lack of integration and access to data were some of the main issues identified. Conclusions: Despite the FACT model being successfully implemented in Norway, there are several issues regarding the ICT solutions they use, mainly related to access to data and integration. Further research is required to detail how improved ICT solutions should be designed. While FACT teams targeting adults and youth differ in some ways, their needs for ICT solutions are largely similar. 
SN  - 2561-326X
UR  - https://formative.jmir.org/2023/1/e42796
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/42796
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36730062
DO  - 10.2196/42796
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/42796
ER  -