Hybrid care in mental health: a framework for understanding care, research, and future opportunities

Technology is playing an increasing role in healthcare, especially in mental health. Traditional mental healthcare, whether in-person or via telehealth, cannot by itself address the massive need for services. Standalone technology such as smartphone apps, while easily accessible, have seen limited engagement and efficacy on their own. Hybrid care - the combination of synchronous in-person or telehealth appointments with the use of asynchronous digital tools such as smartphone applications, wearable devices, or digital therapeutics - has the potential to offer the best of both worlds, providing both increased access and higher engagement and efficacy. In this paper, we present a framework highlighting the key components of hybrid care models: digital intervention, human support, and target population. This framework can be used to evaluate existing models in the literature and in practice, identify areas of need and opportunity, and serve as a blueprint for key elements to consider when designing new hybrid care models.