Design and development process of patient-centered computer-based support system for patients with schizophrenia spectrum psychosis

Background. Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness requiring self-management skills and information about the illness, its treatment, and where to get help with daily routines. Despite the systematic development of computer-based approaches in mental health, less systematic development of such methods can be found for patients with schizophrenia or psychosis. Objective. The aim is to describe the design and development process of patient-centered computer-based support system (Mieli.Net portal) for patients with schizophrenia spectrum psychoses. Methods. The process with a mixed methods approach includes four phases: analysis of users' needs, development of key patient information areas, development of a software prototype and to pilot the portal, and user evaluation by health care staff. Results. The computer-based patient support system is a promising health-promoting service to schizophrenic patients. It is important, that users of technology are involved in the development process, which will ensure that sites are user-friendly, information can be personalized, and mental patients' voices are heard in the development of patient education. Conclusions. The effectiveness needs to be evaluated carefully in future clinical trials. This will offer valuable information for policymakers, organizations and health care practitioners about the usability of web-based patient education in the area of mental health care.