Psycho Analytics - Applying CRM Technologies in eHealth

The Gap
Currently, there are three fields of psychotherapy that are advancing in this direction, not yet capitalizing on data mining technologies. A brief description:

1. Online Therapy: a variety of clinics using video chats and browser based tutorials to reach remote patients. The US Army is investing largely in this field, in order to provide psychotherapy solutions for overseas troops.
2. eHealth / TeleHealth: Large healthcare organizations are developing online medical advice services, not specific to mental health, in order to reduce clinic occupancy and reach remote patients.
3. Evidence Based Psychotherapy: a group of psycho therapy approaches, which are supported by a lot of academic research, and show measurable effect on symptoms, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). These approaches are usually short term, and low cost compared to long term approaches such as psychoanalysis, so they are championed by insurance companies and included in healthcare policies.
4. Bio Feedback Therapy: an approach with inherent measurement tools (such as heart rate) that has adapted the most to online platforms and the evidence based approach. Bio feedback technologies are rich in data, benefit from analytic technologies and make good use of mobile platforms. They are as popular as an over the counter iphone app. US Military, NASA, and insurance companies prefer it when possible. However, it helps only patients with physical arousal as main negative symptoms.

An approach which is obviously missing in this list is the commonly known psychodynamic therapy, even though it remains the preferred therapy by therapists for the majority of cases. Many other approaches are waiting for academic prestige before they can even be tested.

The Potential

People spend fortunes so that someone will listen to their story and analyze their words in order to feel better. Psychotherapists listen a lot, compare to theories and research done on small samples and analyze this data, manually. There are relationships and inspirational effects, but systematic data analysis is a main tool.

Current CRM technology could be suited to analyze therapy sessions, as recorded in clinics or online. Current measures of biofeedback, self appraisal, and analyst appraisal would serve as desired results.
Using collaborated data analytics to manage psychotherapy process toward results, could help patients get what the best for their investment and for their problem, expose more therapy approaches to testing, and gain financial support by large insurance organizations.