Four years after inception, multiple studies to test the effectiveness of a CBM mobile app in treating OCD and depression have ended and analysis of the results has begun.

Milestones to completion

• Over 175 adults participated in the four, first-of-their kind studies.
• Data collected in the OCD studies are currently being analyzed by Nader Amir, PhD, at San Diego State University, and a report will be available later this year. 
• Final data audits for the community major depressive disorder study are being executed.  Once complete, the full dataset will be analyzed. More information will be shared in the next Insider Report.
• Of the four studies initiated, three were completed. The treatment enhancement for depression study was discontinued due to several factors, including the multiple diagnoses of individuals in treatment within the Focus Depression Recovery Adult Residential Center at Rogers.
• A complete, chronological list of milestones can be found here. 

Moving forward

• Looking at the raw data from the OCD studies, we know that both low dose and high dose of the app significantly reduced symptoms compared to a control group. This is promising, and Rogers is moving forward with the CBM mobile app for use as an enhancement to treatment for OCD and anxiety recovery.
• In the beginning of December, 2019 the app will be incorporated into OCD and Anxiety Adult Residential Care. In mid-December, the app will be rolled out within the OCD and anxiety partial hospitalization (PHP) and intensive outpatient (IOP) programs for adults in Oconomowoc. 
• Once integrated and vetted into these settings, the app will be available as an enhancement to treatment for adults with OCD and other anxiety disorders within Rogers’ regional clinics throughout the country. This will take place during the first quarter of 2020.
• Rogers is keenly aware that many struggle with maintaining gains made in treatment once they return home. Based on the strong results of the community and residential studies, we will be sending the app home with OCD patients upon discharge so they can use it as a tool as they become reintroduced to their life. This will commence in the first quarter of 2020.

Insight leads to improvement

The OCD and anxiety app software was based on content customization. This required a lengthy interview process to determine OCD trigger words, and then manually building the content. The next platform iteration is being fine-tuned to save valuable time and costs. Patients will now be able to choose words from the most commonly chosen words from the completed OCD studies, or input their own directly into the app. They’ll also have flexibility as to the time of day and where they will run the app. Our goal is to make the app as user-friendly as possible and allow the patient control over word selection.