Support groups can be a beneficial part of mental health treatment for individuals who face stigma in their diagnosis. A journal article published in the Journal of Social Issues provides that group support, “...it is suggested that the shared identity of members of stigmatized groups provides a basis for giving, receiving, and benefiting from social support…” Tracking in this setting allows for the evaluation of the efficacy of these groups as well as beneficial monitoring of patient progress.
Tracking of support group communications is monitoring different parts of the group's dynamic and individual participants' progress. Outside of sessions, it is a necessary extension of the mental health care the treatment provides.
The tracking allows for setting boundaries in communication taken outside the boundaries of sessions. The tracking process allows mental health professionals to assess who needs additional support or when the content discussed in group sessions needs to be adjusted to meet emotional goals.
The function of text messaging in support group tracking can veer away from an administrative function, such as reminders about upcoming sessions, to a more functional approach tailored to support the mental health aspect of the group in a more targeted manner.
Automated text messaging specifically offers an easy approach to providing patients with mood check-ins, brief surveys after sessions, and feedback on their mental health outside of the group setting. The responses from these emails lend themselves to a more effective tracking system, allowing providers to better assess the impact on each member.
Software that sends prescheduled or triggered text messages.
Yes.
An electronic health record is a digital version of a patient's medical history and health information.