Mental health is going digital. Providers predict a “tidal wave” of online services that will shape the way mental health care is delivered in the future. Why?

We’re seeing a lot more mental health services delivered by telehealth, with Swedish provider KRY (who claims to be the country’s largest cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) treatment providers) telling us it’s a growing market. Its closest in-country competitor Min Doktor also tells Healthcare Europa that 20-25% of its clients come to them suffering from mental health issues, mostly anxiety and addiction. It’s possible vulnerable people would rather access help through text-based chat than leave the house to meet their GP, so online services could bridge a gap in provision.

The digital market also has the potential for innovation. Healios, a UK-based provider of online therapy, predicts chatbot led solutions to treatment and diagnoses that could circumvent NHS waiting lists, bringing more people the care they need and increasing volumes. According to CEO Richard Andrews, only one in four young people has access to treatment – leaving a large demographic of savvy smartphone users in need of a solution, and it makes sense to reach them with technology. Andrews predicts analysts will soon be exploiting our social media data to create objective ‘biomarkers’, able to identify depression through our Instagram posts or Facebook statuses. UK rival XenZone, who is speaking at this year’s HBI conference, recently have a similar business model.

But just like physical psychiatry/psychoanalytical services, the tele arena is fragmented and likely to stay that way for some time. The market is in its early stages but it is fertile ground – Netherlands-based Karify, offering AI-powered CBT software as well as online counselling, says it is seeing 30% growth every year. With approximately a quarter of people around the world predicted to suffer a mental health crisis at some stage in their life, there is a huge market to deliver cost-effective therapy to people in their own homes. Remote counselling by people or computers could be a crucial ingredient in addressing this crisis.

Perhaps the largest driver is price. It is notable that it is in countries like the UK which have starved mental health for years that these companies see the biggest opportunities. One of the main drivers of online mental health services is cost. Our writer Anaïs Charles is covering the sector in-depth for us. Contact her at anais@healthcarebusinessinternational.com or on 00 44 207 183 3779.