Healthcare workers have been at the front-line of the COVID response; they have experienced many workload pressures including short staffing, high demands, redeployment, and unpredictable caseloads. Many are experiencing burnout and struggling to meet high standards of clinical care. The crisis in the healthcare system is front-page news and solutions are needed to prevent long-lasting damage to the mental health of our frontline providers, and to the overall healthcare system.
Sandra Moll and her team at McMaster University recently received funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada to scale up implementation and evaluation of Beyond Silence, a new mental health app designed to promote early intervention and peer support for frontline healthcare workers. The Beyond Silence app is designed to be a confidential “mental health coach in your pocket” for healthcare workers where they can access information and local resources, track wellness, set goals for change, and reach out for confidential help from a trained peer support provider, either by phone or text.