Delivering Scalable Mental Health Support to Patients with Chronic Disease

To commemorate World Mental Health Day, current DigitalHealth.London Accelerator company Iona Mind shares how their partnership with Aptar Digital Health scales the delivery of evidence-based mental health support to patients with chronic diseases by addressing their mental and physical health needs, improving overall patient outcomes.

Overview

Patients with chronic diseases often experience elevated levels of anxiety, depression, and emotional stress, which complicates treatment and increases healthcare costs. To address this, Iona Mind has partnered with Aptar Digital Health to deliver scalable, evidence-based mental health support. By incorporating Iona Mind’s low-intensity Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) solutions into Aptar’s digital platform, the partnership offers holistic support, addressing both mental and physical well-being for a more comprehensive approach to patient care.

Project Overview

The collaboration between Iona Mind and Aptar Digital Health began with a shared vision to improve the treatment experience for patients with chronic diseases by integrating mental health support. Both organisations recognised the mental health comorbidities in chronic disease populations and the need for personalised, scalable solutions to address them. They worked on ensuring the seamless integration of Iona Mind’s low-intensity CBT programs into Aptar Digital Health’s platform, which already supported chronic disease management and monitoring.

Taking a patient-centred approach, Iona Mind’s proprietary Iona Mind Development Program (IMDP) tailored CBT programmes to meet the specific needs of patients with chronic conditions. By working closely with patient advocacy groups, the project ensured inclusivity and accessibility, particularly for underrepresented communities. It also ensured the digital platform offered a user-friendly experience while capturing valuable data to help care teams monitor and respond effectively to patient needs.

At Iona Mind, we are delighted to be collaborating with Aptar Digital Health. By combining Aptar’s proven experience with digital patient support with Iona Mind’s industry-leading expertise in low-intensity cognitive behavioral therapy and mental health, we know that together, we will be able to significantly impact many lives.

Jonathan Baker
CEO and Founder of Iona Mind

Supporting the mental health of patients with cancer is crucial for enhancing their overall journey. A growing number of evidence shows the importance of considering the emotional distress associated with the patient experience, especially in the field of cancer. We are pleased to collaborate with Iona Mind, and to offer accessible mental health support to more patients.

Geneviève D’Orsay
Chief Medical Officer at Aptar Digital Health

Impact/Outcomes

The partnership has shown early success in reducing anxiety and low mood among chronic disease patients using Iona Mind’s CBT programmes. In a recent publication, participants in the “Worry Management” programme saw anxiety and depression severity decrease from moderate to mild, leading to improved overall well-being. Besides improving patient wellbeing, this approach enables healthcare providers to better manage patients by addressing both their mental and physical health needs.

Integrating mental health support into chronic disease care has also simplified treatment and reduced healthcare costs, as patients with improved mental health are less likely to encounter complications that require additional services. This has been particularly impactful in oncology care, where patients face complex treatment plans and significant psychological distress. The project has successfully delivered a scalable, accessible, and effective mental health solution for individuals with chronic illnesses, improving both mental well-being and healthcare efficiency.

The partnership between Iona Mind and Aptar Digital Health represents a transformative step forward in integrating mental health support into the care pathways for chronic disease patients. By combining Aptar’s global expertise in digital health with Iona Mind’s evidence-based CBT solutions, it’s now possible to deliver personalised, scalable mental health care to those who need it most. This collaboration has the potential to significantly improve both mental and physical health outcomes for patients, while reducing the burden on healthcare services.

Professor Paul Farrand
NHS Talking Therapies Expert Advisory Committee and NICE Medical Technologies Advisory Group

Next Steps

Moving forward, the partnership aims to expand this mental health support solution to a broader range of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses. The platform will be continually enhanced to offer more personalised care, with advanced features like medication reminders, symptom tracking, and educational resources, furthering the integration of mental health care into chronic disease management.

As the collaboration progresses, data gathered through the platform will be used to refine and personalise programmes based on real-world patient experiences. Plans are also underway to expand the initiative into new geographical regions, including NHS trials, ensuring scalable mental health support across healthcare systems. This will improve outcomes for millions of chronic disease patients worldwide.

Iona Mind is currently on Cohort 8 of the DigitalHealth.London Accelerator.

The DigitalHealth.London Accelerator programme is funded by the UK Government via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). It is delivered by the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London in partnership with the Office of Life Sciences, CW+, Medicity, NHS England, the Mayor of London and the Levelling Up Fund.

For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-
shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus.