Improving Psychological Health and Safety in Health Care Workers through Technology-Based Support

Eastern Health is engaging in a three-year research project to determine if technology-based support will increase employee knowledge and uptake of psychological support services; in turn, improving employee wellness factors and organizational healthy workplace indicators. This three-year research/innovation project has been funded by the NL Workforce Innovation Centre (NLWIC) at College of the North Atlantic (CNA) under the Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Development Agreement. Components of the project involve the development, implementation and evaluation of an employee virtual assistant, incorporating internal and external supports, as well as the platform for the organization’s new peer support program. As part of this research project, the health authority is partnering with IBM to develop this navigating virtual assistant to help employees find mental health tools and resources, using Eastern Health solutions, and other resources.