The Multiplicative Patient and the Clinical Workflow: Clinician Perspectives on Social Interfaces for Self-Tracking and Managing Bipolar Disorder

Personal health informatics are increasingly used in the long-term management of bipolar disorder and other serious mental illnesses. These systems help individuals and members of their support networks track and stabilize important social rhythms. In this study, we presented mental health professionals with nine design concepts for personal informatics systems to support interpersonal and social rhythm therapy. These designs, derived from prior empirical findings about patients’ data practices, utilize social interfaces to support the social ecologies critical to relational recovery in bipolar disorder. Designs included features for sharing data in dynamic social support systems, custom variables, commenting, co-tracking, and data-driven action plans. Qualitative analysis of clinicians’ feedback yielded design recommendations for mental health informatics, such as supporting all cognitive states of the multiplicative patient and the interactions between these states and patient–clinician interfaces. Diversity in clinical practice also necessitates application flexibility and careful integration with existing workflows.