Background: Rapid digital transformation is reshaping health care, but many digital initiatives struggle to deliver sustained organizational value when they are introduced as stand-alone technologies rather than as part of an institutional strategy. In Saudi Arabia, Vision 2030 has intensified pressure on academic medical centers to strengthen digital capability, localize innovation, and reduce dependence on externally driven solutions. Objective: This study aimed to examine organizational factors shaping digital health innovation at King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC) and to develop a preliminary strategic planning framework for a digital health innovation hub tailored to that setting. Methods: We conducted a qualitative exploratory case study at KSUMC between April and June 2025. Fourteen stakeholders from clinical, administrative, research, governance, educational, and innovation-related roles were recruited using maximum variation purposive sampling. Semistructured interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Reporting was guided by the COREQ (Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research). Diffusion of innovation theory and systems thinking informed interpretation, while a context-actor-mechanism-outcome lens was used to examine how institutional conditions shaped innovation processes. No patient data were collected. Results: Five interrelated themes were identified. First, leadership support existed at a symbolic level, but middle-management translation and risk tolerance were inconsistent. Second, innovation was constrained by workload, fragmented systems, and weak operational support, which meant that project work was often treated as discretionary rather than embedded. Third, knowledge transfer and commercialization pathways were fragmented; participants repeatedly described unclear routes from idea generation to prototyping, regulatory review, and market engagement. Fourth, incentives and innovation capability were misaligned with institutional expectations, particularly for clinicians and trainees. Fifth, Vision 2030 created strategic legitimacy and momentum, but participants also cautioned that an overreliance on consultant-led or vendor-led approaches could weaken internal capability building. These findings informed a preliminary framework centered on governance, knowledge transfer, partnership structures, workforce development, and phased implementation rather than a validated institutional model. Conclusions: At KSUMC, digital health innovation is shaped not only by technology availability but also by organizational culture, intermediary structures, governance design, and the extent to which innovation work is made operationally feasible. The framework proposed here should therefore be understood as a preliminary planning model derived from one qualitative case study. Its main contribution is to specify how knowledge transfer, commercialization, and institutional capability building can be integrated into a digital health strategy within a Saudi academic medical center.
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Treating addiction with an addictive drug: the ketamine paradox revisited
BackgroundSubstance use disorders (SUDs) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) remain a major global health challenge, marked by high relapse rates and limited long-term effectiveness of existing treatments. Ketamine, a glutamatergic modulator with rapid neuroplastic effects, has emerged as a novel intervention for TRD and is increasingly investigated as an adjunctive treatment for addiction, yet concerns about its abuse liability persist.ObjectiveThis review critically evaluates ketamine’s therapeutic potential for SUDs while examining its neurobiological mechanisms, clinical efficacy, and risk of misuse within a unified risk–benefit framework.MethodsA structured narrative review conducted in accordance with the SANRA framework using the PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases, covering literature published until March 2026. Eligible studies included clinical trials, experimental studies, and mechanistic investigations relevant to ketamine use in addiction and depression. Evidence was synthesized thematically across the domains of efficacy, mechanisms, and safety.ResultsAcross alcohol and cocaine use disorders, ketamine combined with psychotherapy has demonstrated promising reductions in craving and increases in abstinent days in small-to moderate-sized Phase 2 trials. However, findings remain difficult to generalize due to considerable variability in dosing strategies, comparator conditions, and follow-up periods. Effects on relapse prevention have been more inconsistent and less reliably positive. Mechanistically, ketamine promotes synaptic plasticity via NMDA receptor antagonism and downstream glutamatergic signaling, potentially disrupting maladaptive reward-related memories and reversing maladaptive neurocircuitry involved in both depression and addiction. While acute adverse effects are generally transient under clinical supervision, ketamine carries a well-established risk of misuse, particularly in unsupervised or high-dose settings.ConclusionsKetamine represents a promising but still experimental intervention for both refractory depression and selected SUDs. Its clinical use depends on careful patient selection, structured delivery, and integration with psychotherapy. Although ketamine may redefine treatment paradigms for TRD and addiction, larger-scale trials and long-term safety data are essential to define its role within psychiatric and addiction treatment frameworks.
Implementing DBT in Short-Term SUD-treatment
Conditions: Substance Abuse Disorder; Dialectical Behavior Therapy; Emotion Management Skills
Interventions: Behavioral: DBT-informed milieu therapy; Behavioral: Treatment as usual
Sponsors: Helse Møre og Romsdal HF
Not yet recruiting
Interventions: Behavioral: DBT-informed milieu therapy; Behavioral: Treatment as usual
Sponsors: Helse Møre og Romsdal HF
Not yet recruiting
Impact of an Artificial Intelligence–Powered Clinical Decision Support System for Acute Kidney Injury Prevention in the Intensive Care Unit: Single-Center Uncontrolled Before-and-After Implementation Study
Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent and serious complication among hospitalized patients, particularly in critical care settings, where its incidence can exceed 50%. AKI is associated with increased mortality, prolonged hospitalization, dialysis dependence, and higher health care costs. Although the KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) guidelines emphasize supportive care, hemodynamic optimization, and avoidance of nephrotoxins, their implementation remains inconsistent, partly due to the lack of timely risk stratification. Recent advances in artificial intelligence have enhanced early prediction and detection of AKI, offering new opportunities to improve patient outcomes and intensive care unit (ICU) efficiency. The U-Care Renal Platform (UCRP; U-Care Medical S.r.l), a Conformité Européenne (CE)–marked artificial intelligence–powered medical device, integrates directly with the ICU electronic health record to continuously analyze patient data and predict the risk of moderate or severe AKI within 24 hours, providing actionable, guideline-based recommendations. While the predictive performance of UCRP has been validated previously, its real-world impact on clinical and operational outcomes in the ICU remains underexplored. Objective: This single-center uncontrolled before-and-after implementation study aims to evaluate the association between UCRP implementation and selected ICU clinical and operational outcomes in routine practice at SCIAS Hospital, Barcelona. Methods: This study was conducted as a retrospective service evaluation of a workflow-embedded clinical decision support system between March 2023 and March 2025. It included 202 postsurgical adult ICU patients. Outcomes of interest were assessed by comparing preimplementation and postimplementation periods. Months during which the UCRP was inactive were excluded from the analysis (total excluded duration: 10 months; 5 in the preimplementation period and 5 in the postimplementation period). The outcomes included the incidence of moderate-to-severe AKI (KDIGO stages 2 and 3), the use of nephrotoxic medications, the frequency of hypotensive episodes among patients with AKI, and the ICU length of stay. Results: During the postimplementation period, lower rates of moderate-to-severe AKI (9/99, 9.1% vs 12/103, 11.7%), nephrotoxic drug administration, and hypotensive episodes among patients with AKI were observed compared with the preimplementation period. Conclusions: Integration of the UCRP into ICU workflows was associated with differences in selected AKI-related process and intermediate clinical outcomes in this single-center uncontrolled before-and-after implementation study. However, given the study design, causal relationships cannot be established, and the findings should be interpreted as preliminary signals requiring confirmation in larger, controlled, and multicenter studies, including patient-centered outcomes.
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Millions of People in Canada Are Finding AI-Enabled Support for Mental Health Effective Amid Ongoing Questions Around Trust.
(OTTAWA) July 8, 2026 — New polling shows approximately six million people in Canada used AI-enabled tools for mental health support in the past year and most find them effective. Today, the Mental Health Commission of Canada (the Commission), in partnership with Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC) and Pollara Strategic Insights, releases the first nationally representative data on how people in Canada engage with digitally supported mental health tools, including AI and virtual care, across every province and demographic.
Quick Facts:
- 1 in 7 people in Canada used AI mental health tools in the past year
- Three out of four who used AI and virtual mental health services found them effective for their well-being
- Only 14 % trust AI tools, just 2% trust them completely
- 40 % of AI users said they were more likely to seek professional care
- Nearly half (45%) who accessed mental health care did so virtually, in whole or in part
WHY IT MATTERS
People in Canada are turning to AI as a convenient way to access mental health support. AI-enabled tools may offer greater convenience and accessibility. Among those surveyed, AI is being used because it is:
- Free or low-cost; 46% of AI users cite this as the reason they use it during a time when financial stress is itself a cause for anxiety.
- Always available; 44% of AI users cite 24/7 access.
- Immediate and convenient; it can be used from anywhere without travelling or waiting for an appointment. For someone in rural Canada, it saves time and travel costs.
- Seemingly private; 39 % of AI service users cite private, anonymous support as a reason for use, while privacy and data protection remain key public concerns.
AI is most used for general well-being (42%), companionship (36%), and mild-to-moderate stress (36%), and 40% of AI users said they were more likely to seek professional care.
WHO IS USING IT AND HOW MUCH DO THEY TRUST IT?
Use is higher among people in Canada under 35 (27%; 29% among men aged 25–34), newcomers to Canada (28%), racialized people in Canada (23%), and 2SLGBTQI+ communities (20%), populations that may experience greater barriers to traditional care.
Overall, trust remains low, particularly for AI-enabled tools, where only 2% of people in Canada trust them completely. People in Canada over 55 show the lowest adoption and trust.
VIRTUAL CARE: EFFECTIVE AND MORE TRUSTED BUT FALLS SHORT OF IN-PERSON SERVICES
45% of people in Canada who used mental health services in the past year did so virtually, with 75% reporting positive outcomes. However, nearly 1 in 3 prefer a hybrid model that combines virtual and in-person services. The data signals what people in Canada need: well-designed tools for safer digital mental health care that they can trust.
THE COMMISSION OFFERS GUIDANCE FOR THE DIGITAL MENTAL HEALTH ERA
The Commission is Canada’s trusted resource for safe digital mental health — assessing apps and tools, setting evidence-based standards, and leading the national conversation on guidance for AI in mental health and substance use health care.
As virtual services and AI-enabled tools continue to expand rapidly across the mental health landscape, there is a growing need for evidence-based insight into how people in Canada engage with, understand, and perceive them. The Commission partnered with MHRC to leverage their ongoing national polling initiative and provide timely insights into usage, attitudes, and concerns related to e-mental health and AI.
The polling is clear: people in Canada want to close the gap between availability and trust. The Commission is working with the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction and collaborators, provincial governments, technology developers, and health system partners to establish guidance for AI.
“Six million people in Canada have already used AI for mental health support and most found it convenient and effective for their well-being. It is critical that AI is safe and equitable to increase public trust and reduce harms.” – Lili-Anna Pereša, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mental Health Commission of Canada
“The people turning to digitally-supported mental health tools are often those facing some of the greatest barriers to care. Making sure these tools are safe, effective, evidence-based and human-centred is a matter of equity. Ongoing research is essential to understanding where they help and where safeguards are needed.”– Akela Peoples, Chief Executive Officer, Mental Health Research Canada
About Mental Health Commission of Canada
As an independent, not-for-profit with charitable status, the Commission collaborates with leading experts and organizations nationally and internationally, including with people with lived and living experience, to develop national guidelines, standards and strategies, promote innovation and best practices, reduce stigma, increase mental health literacy, and support all levels of government to improve mental health outcomes for everyone living in Canada. The Commission is Canada’s trusted resource for digital mental health best practices with the e-Mental Health Strategy for Canada, app assessment, e-modules for e-mental health implementation, and AI guidance for mental health and substance use health.
About Mental Health Research Canada
As an independent national charity, MHRC works hard to enable a future where mental health in Canada is transformed using evidence, data and stakeholder engagement. We unite researchers, communities, and people with lived experience to bridge gaps in care through national population polling, rapid data reporting, and partnerships that inform policy to improve outcomes. Learn more at www.mhrc.ca
About the Polling
Conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights in partnership with Mental Health Research Canada and the Mental Health Commission of Canada, this national poll (n=3,519) is the first representative data on AI use for mental health in Canada. Full findings: https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/AI-polling-report
About the Funding
The views in this report solely represent the views of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Production of this report is made possible through financial contribution from Health Canada.
Media Contact
Heather Bakken, Pendulum Group
email: heather@pendulumgroup.ca
cell: 613-406-5432
The post Millions of People in Canada Are Finding AI-Enabled Support for Mental Health Effective Amid Ongoing Questions Around Trust. appeared first on Mental Health Commission of Canada.
Research progress on addictive features and reward circuit mechanisms in non-suicidal self-injury and the feasibility of precision neuromodulation
Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) presents a significant public health challenge; however, its underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain insufficiently understood, limiting the development of targeted interventions. Emerging evidence suggests that NSSI exhibits core addictive features, such as compulsive urges and tolerance, which may be driven by dysfunctions in the brain’s reward circuitry. This review synthesizes current research on the neural overlaps between NSSI and addiction, specifically focusing on the dysregulation of the ventral striatum and prefrontal cortex. Based on this mechanistic framework, we propose the potential of Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy (SAINT)—a high-dose, functional connectivity-guided transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol—as a precision treatment for NSSI. By targeting specific reward network deficits, SAINT may offer a novel, rapid-acting therapeutic strategy for patients who do not respond to conventional pharmacological or psychological interventions.
Fatherhood and addictive disorders: experiences and support needs – results of a qualitative interview study
ObjectivesParental addictive disorders are a major public health problem. Despite already known negative effects, the parental role of men seeking help is rarely acknowledged within addiction support services. This study aims to identify existing relations between fatherhood and addiction, and the resulting support needs of affected fathers.MethodsFor data collection 15 fathers with addictive disorders were interviewed by using qualitative, guided interviews. The data material was analyzed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsThe effects of addictive disorders on fatherhood are predominantly unfavorable. Conversely, fatherhood can have consumption-reducing as well as consumption-increasing effects. In this context, five topics were identified in which fathers expressed specific support needs. Particularly fathers with substance use disorders expressed their need for further support, while fathers with behavioral addictions expressed a lesser need.ConclusionsPaying attention to fatherhood in the context of addiction services provides a starting point for increasing the motivation to change. Individual support needs should be considered when implementing father-specific programs. Not only the fathers themselves, but also their children can benefit from successful treatment and expected changes in fatherhood.
Case Report: Delirium and complications resulting from the abuse of compound liquorice tablets
BackgroundCompound liquorice tablets is a cough-suppressing compound formulation containing opium powder and liquorice. With the strict regulation of traditional opioids, this medication has emerged as a novel alternative for substance abuse due to its easy accessibility and low cost; however, its addiction potential and severe adverse complications remain underrecognized and insufficiently addressed in clinical practice.Case summaryThe patient is a 29-year-old male who began self-medicating with compound liquorice tablets for a dry cough after COVID-19 infection. His daily dosage gradually escalated to 200–600 tablets within two years, resulting in established drug dependence. Two days after discontinuing the medication, he developed delirium manifested as confusion, disorientation, visual hallucinations and psychomotor agitation, accompanied by palpitations, hypertension, tremors, rhinorrhea, vomiting, severe hypokalemia, and bilateral lower limb edema. Organic brain diseases were excluded by systematic examinations. According to the ICD-10 diagnostic criteria, he was diagnosed with opioid-induced mental and behavioral disorders, hypokalemia and hypertension. We implemented a benzodiazepine tapering regimen to control delirium and sympathetic excitation associated with withdrawal symptoms, combined with antidepressants and antipsychotics to improve mood, anxiety, and psychotic symptoms, Under the guidance of a cardiologist, we actively managing hypertension and correcting internal environmental disturbances. Following comprehensive management, the patient’s withdrawal symptoms and delirium resolved, with stable emotional state and blood pressure, resulting in successful withdrawal.ConclusionThis is the first reported case of delirium caused by withdrawal from compound liquorice tablets. It provides preliminary insights for clinical identification, diagnosis, and multidisciplinary management of dependence on compound liquorice tablets, as well as related withdrawal symptoms and complications. This case also alerts to the emerging risk of abuse associated with new substances such as compound liquorice tablets and underscores the need for stricter prescription controls and patient education regarding the risks of abuse.
Effect of Cognitive Behavioral Based Psychoeducation Program on Internet Addiction and Academic Procrastination Tendency in Nursing Students
Conditions: Internet Addiction; Procrastination
Interventions: Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Approach-Based Psychoeducation Program
Sponsors: Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi
Completed
Interventions: Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Approach-Based Psychoeducation Program
Sponsors: Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi
Completed
The relationship between mobile phone addiction and depression, anxiety among Chinese college students: the mediating role of friendship quality and the moderating effect of preference for solitude
BackgroundThe university stage represents a critical period for the development of individual mental health. Mobile phone addiction is closely linked to depression and anxiety among college students, and both friendship quality and preference for solitude are tightly associated with college students’ mobile phone addiction and emotional health. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationships and internal mechanisms among mobile phone addiction, friendship quality, preference for solitude, depression and anxiety in college students.MethodsA total of 1083 Chinese college students (58.2% female; mean age = 19.87 ± 1.692 years) were included as participants. Data were collected using the Mobile Phone Addiction Index, Friendship Quality Questionnaire, Preference for Solitude Questionnaire, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Data processing and analyses were conducted using SPSS 26.0 and the PROCESS macro.Results(1) Mobile phone addiction was significantly negatively correlated with friendship quality, and significantly positively correlated with both depression and anxiety; friendship quality was significantly negatively correlated with depression and anxiety; preference for solitude was significantly positively correlated with depression and anxiety. (2) Mobile phone addiction not only directly and positively predicted depression and anxiety among college students, but also predicted depression and anxiety through the mediating role of friendship quality. (3) The direct effect of mobile phone addiction on depression and the mediating effect of friendship quality in the relationships between mobile phone addiction and depression/anxiety were both moderated by preference for solitude, whereas the moderating effect of preference for solitude on the association between mobile phone addiction and anxiety was not significant.ConclusionFriendship quality serves as an important mediating pathway between mobile phone addiction and depressive and anxiety symptoms among Chinese college students. Preference for solitude may amplify the associations of mobile phone addiction with poorer friendship quality and elevated depressive symptoms.