Can the wearable on your patient’s wrist help prevent their next manic episode?

On this episode of Quick Takes Dr. Gratzer hosts Dr. John Torous, digital psychiatry expert and the first guest to appear on 3 podcast episodes. They always have plenty to talk about as the field of digital mental health care continues to expand. This time, the primary focus is on wearables and data collection.

They discuss how data captured on devices (especially related to sleep and exercise) can potentially improve care – and overall health; the types of “passive data” that can be collected; and the pros (behaviour and environment) and cons (privacy, privacy, privacy!) that come with it.

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During another fascinating tech talk between Drs. Gratzer and Torous we learn about:

• the implications of wearables in mental health care
  • what forms they currently take (watches, rings, phones)
• the types of data that can be collected
  • some can benefit treatment of schizophrenia and depression
  • others would help provide accurate social determinants data
  • but, in all cases, there may be risk to data and patient privacy to consider
• how COVID ignited synchronous digital mental health care via telehealth
• and how an asynchronous care using data from wearables and apps is due to ignite next.

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Hear more from Dr. John Torous on previous episodes of Quick Takes:
Episode 3: What all physicians need to know about digital psychiatry.

Episode 11: What all physicians need to know about mental health apps.

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Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.

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In this episode, Dr. David Gratzer speaks with Dr. David Goldbloom, Senior Medical Advisor at CAMH and a professor at the University of Toronto. Dr. Goldbloom (a returning guest) has just written We Can Do Better: Urgent Innovations to Improve Mental Health Access and Care. They speak about the book – and Dr. Goldbloom’s optimism.

Dr. Goldbloom discusses real-world examples of innovation: a publicly-funded psychotherapy program in the UK that treats 600,000 people a year; a Nova Scotia program that helps families of children with ADHD and has inspired similar work in Vietnam and Finland; and a major Canadian study that has changed the way we think about homelessness. We also discuss the implications for policy makers – and for clinicians. And, yes, we do talk about The Simpsons.

With Dr. Goldbloom’s book We Can Do Better: Urgent Innovations to Improve Mental Health Access and Care as the basis of the conversation we learn:

• Clients, families, and physicians alike all agree that the current system in Canada just isn’t good enough.
• Programs exist in places such as the UK and Australia that are already doing things better.
• Canada has created its own internationally successful programs but has had difficulties expanding across our own country.
• Traditionally the number of years it takes for clinical and innovation to be translated into clinical practice has been exceedingly slow.
• The pandemic has sparked rapid change they hope will continue.

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Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.

Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu

Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.

In episode 14 of Quick Takes Dr. Gratzer talks to two leading experts on transgender care, Dr. Alex Abramovich and Dr. June Lam to get their input on how to foster a respectful and supportive care setting.

The conversation flows between research studies and in-person care and provides an excellent overview of the trans experience in mental health care.

You’ll hear about:

• how hormone replacement therapy may interact with psychotropic medications
• the importance of using the right language when addressing and working with your trans patients
• the high rates of depression, homelessness and suicidality that studies have found
• and tips for working with your trans patients to help lower those statistical rates.

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Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.

Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu

Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.

In episode 13 of Quick Takes  Dr. Gratzer hosts Drs. Juveria Zaheer and Zainab Furqan in an insightful conversation on impact of Ramadan on our patients’ care.

Drawing on their clinical experience and the literature, Drs. Zaheer and Furqan provide insights and suggestions for treating Muslim patients. What mental disorders may be particularly affected by Ramadan? How should medication regiments change in light of fasting? How might you start a discussion with one of your patients? With over 1.7 billion Muslims in the world – and about 80% of North American Muslims actively fasting – they discuss the conversations that you may have with your patients; their comments are enlivened with patient stories. And, yes, they share a few warm, personal memories.

During this insightful conversation the guest physicians discuss the following:

• The surprising lack of resources they found when researching this topic for their Lancet paper
• How to foster culturally safe care by acknowledging Ramadan and opening up the conversation with your patients whose treatment may be impacted by timing or food
• Some possible talking points to go over with your patients who want to fully participate in this celebration: “Do you generally fast? Were you planning to fast this year? What does fasting mean for you?” and “I know Ramadan is coming up. What are your thoughts on the medications you're taking?”
• The obvious mental health and addiction issues impacted by fasting and changing sleep cycles as well as some you may not initially consider.

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Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.

Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu

Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.

In episode 12 of Quick Takes Dr. Gratzer hosts Drs. Amy Gajaria and Saadia Sediqzadah in a compelling conversation on the importance of addressing race and racism in mental health care.

In this, our longest episode of Quick Takes to date (30 minutes), the conversation covers some necessary, some easy, and some possibly difficult things clinicians should consider as they factor race into patient care.

• Understand that race is important to your patients, make it important to you as well.
• Recognize that there is a need to formalize diversity in mentorship and in leadership.
• Learn from our history to understand the hesitancy that black, indigenous and other people of colour have towards the medical system.
• Practice talking about race outside the clinical setting but don’t judge yourself – you won’t be perfect.

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Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.

Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu

Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.

On this episode of Quick Takes Dr. Gratzer sits down with returning guest and digital psychiatry expert, Dr. John Torous of Harvard University.

They discuss the use of mobile apps to aid in diagnosis and treatment as well as issues around digital privacy, the potential of chatbots, and how AI may change the field. But at the heart of this episode, they try to determine just what makes a good app. What do physicians need to know before using an app in their clinical work?

During Drs. Gratzer and Torous’ conversation we learn more about: 

• what makes a good app and how mobile apps can be integrated into mental health treatment 
• how apps may pose a risk to data privacy and security
• the potential of chatbots and AI
• and the challenges of sustaining patient engagement with apps.

To hear more of what Dr. Torous has to say on the topic of digital mental health, listen to Quick Takes episode 3 What all physicians need to know about digital psychiatry.

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Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.

Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu

Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.

So notes Dr. Juveria Zaheer, CAMH psychiatrist and clinician scientist with the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, and Dr. David Gratzer’s guest on this episode of Quick Takes.

In this 10th episode of Quick Takes, Dr. Gratzer and Dr. Zaheer discuss the weighty topic of suicide. Often a difficult topic for health care providers to deal with, they keep it accessible by focusing on practical issues such as how to approach risk assessment and dealing with a suicidal patient..

What you will learn:

• there’s a complicated relationship between COVID-19 and suicide
• what Dr. Zaheer’s research on suicide has uncovered
• what some of the warning signs for suicide are
• ways to co-create a safety plan with your patient.

The podcast ends with an important reminder that the more we talk about suicide, the more we can all help prevent it.

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Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.

Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu

Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.

So notes Dr. Jay Shore, chair of the American Psychiatric Association's Telepsychiatry Committee, and Dr. David Gratzer’s guest on this episode of Quick Takes.

In this episode Dr. Gratzer and Dr. Shore discuss the rise of virtual care during this pandemic and how our current experiences could impact the entire healthcare system. They cover the challenges (Zoom fatigue) and opportunities (hybrid care solutions) COVID-19 has brought about. And Dr. Shore leaves the listeners with some excellent tips for providers new to virtual health as well as some guidelines on patient-physician interaction that should benefit all listeners.

What you will learn:

• what the challenges are in virtual care
• what opportunities this period of rapid virtualization has brought about
• how our healthcare system may evolve as a result of all the digital work being done currently
• useful tips for new virtual care providers and some guidelines on patient-physician interaction.

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Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.

Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu

Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.

In this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer sits down with the associate chief in the General Adult Psychiatry and Health Systems division at CAMH, Dr. Allison Crawford.

Dr. Crawford is an expert on telemental health and in a time when working at home and social distancing are the norm, the need to learn about alternative health care delivery methods is on the rise. Listen to this episode to learn the basics on telemental/virtual mental health and receive some excellent advice on how best to approach starting out in virtual mental health care.

What you will learn:

• What telemental health looks like currently and what it is evolving into
  • beyond the name change to virtual mental health
  • how much easier it is to do with our current technology.
• How patients are responding to it
  • it goes beyond convenience for some
  • they actually rate the quality of virtual care higher than providers.
• Some very useful tips for how best to approach starting out in virtual mental health and what you should be aware of
  • relationships are still incredibly important – and that can’t be replaced by machines.
• How the evolution of technology may impact the use and growth of virtual mental health.

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.

Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu

Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.

In this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer sits down with Dr. Leslie Buckley, the Chief of the Addictions Division at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, to discuss the evidence for using cannabis to treat psychiatric disorders (spoiler alert: not much) and how to incorporate motivational interviewing techniques into practice – even in short interviews. We also talk about the problem with edibles and the advantages of CBD over THC.

In this episode, the conversation focused on:

• How cannabis use has changed with legalization one year on – and where things might go now that edibles are legal.
• What the evidence is for using cannabis in treatment (not much).
• Some real-world examples – and excellent techniques – to try when using motivational interviewing with your cannabis patients.
• The main interview rounds out with talk about the difference between THC and CDB use.

In this episodes’ bonus content, Double Take, Drs. Gratzer and Buckley enjoy the opportunity to engage in some role-play as they run through a scenario in which Dr. Gratzer plays a young adult who is using cannabis to relieve his anxiety. Listen as Dr. Buckley demonstrates some MI techniques while she interviews him. Episode #7 Double Take

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.

Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu

Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.