Establishing Therapeutic Alliance in Mental Health Care via Cooperative Documentation

In talk-based mental health interventions, treatment outcomes can be decisively improved by enhancing the relationship between patient and therapist. We developed the interactive documentation system Tele-Board MED (TBM) with the goal of supporting patients and doctors in their cooperative task of patient care. The system offers a whiteboard-inspired graphical user interface which allows them to take notes jointly during the treatment session. Two proxy studies were conducted whereby TBM was introduced in a role play that showcased the dialogue in a therapy session. The patient role was played by a volunteer. The audience of human-centered design as well as eHealth experts rated the therapist-patient relationship in a session with and without TBM. The data collected via questionnaires shows that TBM consistently receives a positive rating from study participants (N = 36) in the areas of collaboration, communication, patient-doctor relationship, as well as patient empowerment.