Niyama’s Innovative Blend of Medicine and Technology to deliver mental healthcare on-demand.
CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Viswanathan Sundaram, Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Niyama
Q 1. In countries with large populations like India, how does technology play a pivotal role in enhancing access to mental health services?
A: Technology serves as a pivotal force in democratizing access to care, significantly improving access to mental health services. Through the means of telemedicine, technology helps break down geographical barriers, enabling individuals in remote and rural areas to access mental health support without the need to travel long distances. Recent studies demonstrate that telemedicine-based mental health interventions are not only effective but also have the potential to increase access to care by up to 20%.
Moreover, mobile apps play a vital role in making mental health services more affordable and convenient for a wider population. These apps offer self-help tools for managing mental health issues, and research indicates that they can improve mental health outcomes by up to 15%. Technology not only breaks geographical barriers but also provides individuals with access to expert mental health care, ensuring they receive the specialized support they require.
These technological advancements are instrumental in addressing the existing challenges in India, where a significant percentage of the population does not seek professional mental health (only 10% with mental health issues seek professional help) help due to factors like lack of awareness, stigma, and financial constraints. Also, the scarcity of mental health professionals in India, with only 0.3 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, falls significantly short of the recommended ratio by the World Health Organization.
Psychiatry is a field of opportunity for Telehealth players. Since it is assessment driven, and since 80% of the cases are in mild to moderate conditions, these can be very well intervened through a tele health mode. As a result, technology acts as a powerful equalizer, ensuring that individuals in India, regardless of their location, financial status, or reluctance to seek help, have access to the mental health services they require. It effectively bridges gaps, reduces stigma, and provides equitable and affordable solutions, making mental health support more inclusive and readily available to all.
Q 2. Could you elaborate on how Niyama is working towards its mission of democratizing mental health access through strategic partnerships?
A: Niyama is diligently pursuing its mission of broad-basing access to mental health care by partnering with Corporates to provide mental well-being for their employees, with Schools for providing Adolescent mental health care, with Universities & Campuses to reduce stress in Young Adults, with various health care providers such as Primary, Secondary, Fertility, Community Care who can augment their services by adding mental health, Govt. Institutions, Campuses. In addition, we are partnering with senior living facilities to ensure that senior citizens have easy access to mental well-being resources, fostering cognitive abilities and emotional resilience.
We’re committed to offering personalized care for individual users, tailoring our services to meet their unique needs effectively. Looking ahead, we’re eager to expand our reach by collaborating with NGOs and government bodies, including local authorities. Our goal is to extend mental health access to the real India, underserved populations and communities in tier 2 and 3 cities, ensuring that no one is left behind in their pursuit of mental well-being. Niyama’s vision is rooted in inclusivity and accessibility, and these strategic partnerships are pivotal in realizing this vision.
Q 3. What is the significance of an innovative and holistic approach that melds Allopathy, Ayurveda, and Yoga with cutting-edge technology to provide personalized mental health care?
A: Niyama’s distinctive approach to mental health care, rooted in an integrative, holistic, and digital framework, holds utmost significance in the contemporary context as it can transform the mental health care globally. The conventional psychiatry hitherto has been based on a biomedical model that leverages drug based approach as a panacea for all. This approach has a limitation as it ignores psychological, social, cultural, behavioural factors which triggers or influences these disorders , disregarding its complex multi factorial aetiology. Further the conventional model of disease classification has a labelling theory which intrinsically causes stigma/cultural taboo which further prevents one from accessing help. Moreover many of the patients who have been prescribed drugs are unable to tolerate or even if they are able to tolerate suffer from side effects. In contrast the mind body medicine of Ayurveda had a field of specialisation in psychiatry and emphasised the need of a psychological well-being for physical vitality. It had a vast knowledge of the workings of the mind and body, clear concepts of psychosomatics, the link between emotions and physiological functioning, the role of gut health and foods in boosting mood etc. Interestingly enough modern medicine has been discovering many similar truths as have been enunciated and practised in these medical traditions thousands of years back. While conventional medicine has been focussing on symptom alleviation, eastern medicine emphasises on a well-being approach beyond the absence of symptoms.
Niyama recognizes the importance of bridging the gap by blending the Western medicines with the evidence supported practices of, Ayurveda, instead of each of the systems to be in conflict with each other.
Niyama’s holistic approach, adopting a bio-psycho-socio-cultural framework, can make the medicine most personalized, comprehensive care. This approach ensures a well-rounded root cause analysis of an individual’s mental health condition which helps us in designing a personalized, evidence-based treatment recommendation. Clients can get coordinated care from multi-disciplinary specialist from the field of Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology, Ayurveda, Nutrition and Yoga Therapy under one digital roof depending on an individual’s health conditions and taking into account his wishes and preferences. The holistic care provided by Niyama encompasses not just the mind but also the body and soul, creating an ideal medical and psychiatric practice catering to all conditions ranging from sub-clinical to major conditions.
Niyama’s commitment to technology and data-driven solutions is another pivotal aspect of its approach. By harnessing modern digital technology, Niyama makes mental health care accessible, affordable, and confidential. It has a self-assessment symptom check list for depression, anxiety, stress, wherein any one can complete it under few minutes to get an indicative view of the presence of them if any and its severity. It has an Electronic Health Records system to facilitate gathering 360 degree view of a health condition, in built video calling feature, standardised case protocols in Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Ayurveda, e-prescription with an option of door delivery of medicines, personalised feedback reports. upholds the highest standards of patient confidentiality, and ensures standardized protocols across various domains, from psychiatry to yoga therapy. This data-driven approach allows Niyama to continually monitor progress, and provide continuous engagement, take corrective measures if required. The augmented health date set can be used in data science and clinical research to enhance the quality of care.
Thus Niyama’s innovative and holistic approach, by blending Allopathy, Ayurveda, and Yoga with advanced technology, represents a transformative shift in mental health care. It addresses the evolving needs of a diverse population, promotes personalized treatment with more choices , and ensures accessibility and affordability.
Q 4: How does Niyama’s technology platform ensure scalability to meet the increasing demands for mental health services while maintaining a strong focus on data security?
A: Niyama’s technology platform has been meticulously designed to address the escalating demands for mental health services without compromising on data security. Our scalable infrastructure, bolstered by cloud-based solutions and cutting-edge software architecture, positions us to efficiently expand our services to reach a wider audience. This approach enables us to extend our support to individuals across diverse locations, making mental health care more accessible.
Simultaneously, we maintain an unwavering commitment to data security. Our platform operates in full compliance with the most stringent industry standards, including adherence to regulations like HIPAA and DISHA. We prioritize the implementation of robust encryption protocols to shield all user data, ensuring the confidentiality and protection of personal health information. We continuously enhance and update our security measures, guaranteeing a safe and secure environment for our users. Niyama’s technology platform strikes a harmonious balance between scalability and data security, allowing us to cater to the rising demands for mental health services while upholding the highest standards of user information protection.
Q 5: Could you discuss the importance of reducing the stigma associated with mental health challenges and encouraging individuals to seek professional help?
A: Reducing the stigma associated with mental health challenges and encouraging individuals to seek professional help is of very high importance due to several compelling reasons.
First and foremost, mental health is inherently intertwined with a person’s overall well-being, just as physical health is. Mental health challenges can severely impact an individual’s quality of life, affecting their ability to work, study, and maintain relationships. Unfortunately, these challenges are often shrouded in misunderstanding and stigmatization, which can be a significant barrier to people seeking the help they require.
Secondly, early intervention plays a pivotal role in improving mental health outcomes. However, due to the persisting stigma surrounding mental health, many individuals delay seeking help until their symptoms have escalated to a severe stage. This delay in intervention can impede recovery and make long-term management more challenging.
It is important to recognize that mental health challenges are widespread. According to the World Health Organization, one in four people will experience a mental health challenge at some point in their lifetime. So these challenges are not isolated or uncommon; they are an integral part of the human experience. Acknowledging this prevalence is vital in normalizing discussions about mental health and breaking down the associated stigma.
It is also crucial to have discussions to emphasize that there are effective treatments available for mental health challenges. With the appropriate care and support, the majority of individuals facing mental health difficulties can lead fulfilling and productive lives. However, a lack of awareness about available treatments and misconceptions about their effectiveness often deter people from seeking help. By reducing stigma and fostering a culture of seeking professional assistance, more individuals can access and benefit from these effective treatments.
Enhancing public awareness through education, campaigns, and open dialogues can de-stigmatize mental health. Through nurturing a culture of acceptance and support, we can transform mental health into a subject openly recognized and prioritized, no longer concealed by secrecy and stigma, but held in equal regard to physical well-being.
Q 6: Why is it crucial to adopt a family-centered approach to mental wellness that caters to individuals of all age groups?
A: Mental health is intrinsically connected with family dynamics, and when one family member grapples with a mental health challenge, its reverberations are profound. In this sense you can consider this as communicable. The emotional, behavioural, and practical hurdles involved in caring for a loved one with a mental illness can cast a wide net of impact, subjecting family members to stress, anxiety, and even depression.
Family members play a vital role in supporting the path to recovery. Their role transcends emotional support as they also provide practical assistance and unwavering encouragement to their loved ones. Additionally, family members are well-positioned to identify triggers, monitor symptoms, and assist in managing the potential side effects of medications, all of which are integral aspects of the journey towards recovery.
Furthermore, a family-centered approach contributes significantly to the de-stigmatization of mental health. The involvement of family members in the mental health care of their loved ones fosters an environment where mental illness becomes a normalized topic, thereby chipping away at the associated stigma. Consequently, this normalization makes it easier for family members to seek help for their own mental health challenges when the need arises.
Recent data underscores the critical nature of a family-centered approach. Studies highlight that the mental health challenges of one family member can have a detrimental impact on the mental health of other family members. On the flip side, family-centered mental health interventions have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing the symptoms of mental illness, elevating the overall quality of life, and alleviating the stress experienced by the entire family unit. Moreover, research indicates that a family-centered approach can significantly reduce the risk of children developing mental health challenges when their parents contend with mental illnesses.
