IMPULSE · Project

Ready-to-Deploy Digital Tool That Makes Mental Health Consultations More Effective and Cheaper

healthPilotedTRL 7Thin data (2/5)

impulse.qmul.ac.uk

Imagine a doctor's appointment where, instead of vague check-ins, there's a structured conversation guided by a tablet app that helps the patient say what actually matters to them. IMPULSE took an existing tool called DIALOG+ — basically a digital conversation guide for mental health sessions — and figured out how to roll it out across 5 countries in South Eastern Europe with very different healthcare systems. They produced training manuals, implementation guides, and a tested strategy so that clinics with limited budgets and fewer specialists can still deliver effective care. The result is a proven playbook for deploying better mental health treatment without needing expensive new infrastructure.

By the numbers

Countries where DIALOG+ was implemented and tested

Partner organizations in the consortium

Countries represented in the consortium

Total project deliverables produced

Implementation and training deliverables for direct deployment

The business problem

What needed solving

Mental health services in emerging markets face a painful gap: millions of patients with severe disorders, not enough specialists, and not enough money. Standard approaches require expensive infrastructure and highly trained staff that these regions simply do not have. What is needed is a low-cost, easy-to-deploy intervention that makes existing clinical staff more effective without requiring major system overhauls.

The solution

What was built

The project produced a complete deployment package for the DIALOG+ digital mental health intervention: a clinician training manual, implementation guidance tailored to different national healthcare systems, a patient and caregiver engagement model, and a national-level strategy for rolling out the tool in mental health services across 5 South Eastern European countries.

Audience

Who needs this

Digital health companies building clinical tools for mental healthHealthcare consultancies advising on mental health system reform in emerging marketsNGO and private mental health clinic networks in low-resource settingsGovernment health ministries planning mental health service improvementsHealth technology companies seeking validated patient engagement tools

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Digital Health / Health IT

SME

Target: Digital health platform or health IT company developing clinical decision support or patient engagement tools

If you are a digital health company looking to expand into mental health markets — this project developed DIALOG+, a technology-assisted clinical tool tested across 5 countries with different healthcare systems, along with full implementation guidance and training materials. You could license or integrate this validated approach into your platform to offer structured, evidence-based mental health consultations at lower cost.

Healthcare Consulting

mid-size

Target: Healthcare management consultancy advising governments or hospital networks on mental health service reform

If you are a healthcare consultancy advising ministries or hospital networks on improving mental health services — this project produced country-specific implementation guidance and a strategy for deploying cost-saving interventions across 5 different national health systems. The ready-made playbook, including clinician training materials and patient engagement models, gives you a tested toolkit to recommend to clients.

Mental Health Service Providers

any

Target: Private or NGO mental health clinic network operating in emerging markets

If you run mental health clinics in countries with limited specialist staff and tight budgets — this project demonstrated how to implement DIALOG+, an intervention shown to reduce clinical symptoms, improve quality of life, and reduce treatment costs. The project delivers a complete manual for clinicians and a model for engaging patients and caregivers, tested across 9 partner organizations in 6 countries.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does DIALOG+ cost to implement compared to standard care?

The project objective states DIALOG+ is 'affordable and cost-saving' and 'effective in reducing treatment costs.' However, specific cost figures are not provided in the available project data. The intervention is designed to work within existing routine clinician-patient meetings, so it does not require new infrastructure — mainly training and the digital tool.

Can this scale beyond the 5 pilot countries?

DIALOG+ was specifically tested across 5 countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia) with very different healthcare systems. The project produced transferable implementation guidance and explored how local, organizational, and national factors influence adoption. This means the scaling playbook is designed to be adaptable to other countries and contexts.

What is the IP and licensing situation?

DIALOG+ was developed at Queen Mary University of London, which coordinates this project. Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not disclosed. Any commercial use would likely need to be negotiated with Queen Mary University of London as the coordinating institution.

What concrete materials are available for deployment?

The project produced 18 deliverables including: a DIALOG+ manual and training materials for clinicians, implementation guidance for different healthcare systems, a patient and caregiver engagement model, and a strategy document for implementing DIALOG+ in mental health services. These are practical, deployment-ready materials.

Is there regulatory approval needed?

DIALOG+ is a structured communication intervention, not a pharmaceutical or medical device in the traditional sense. It is technology-assisted but functions as a clinical methodology. Based on available project data, regulatory requirements would depend on the specific country's classification of digital health tools used in clinical settings.

How long does it take to train staff on DIALOG+?

The project produced dedicated training materials for clinicians, but specific training duration is not stated in the available data. The intervention was designed to be 'easily deliverable' and works within existing routine meetings between clinicians and patients, suggesting a relatively light training burden.

Consortium

Who built it

The consortium of 9 partners across 6 countries is entirely academic and public-sector — 4 universities, 2 research organizations, and 3 other entities, with zero industry partners and zero SMEs. This is typical for a health implementation research project but means there is no built-in commercial pathway. The consortium spans the UK (Queen Mary University of London as coordinator) and 5 South Eastern European countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo), which are exactly the target deployment regions. For a business looking to commercialize this work, the absence of industry partners means the field is open, but partnership with the academic consortium would be essential for credibility and access to the clinical networks established during the project.

QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDONCoordinator · UK
KLINICKI CENTAR CRNE GORE PODGORICAparticipant · ME
FACULTY OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADEparticipant · RS
CITY ST GEORGES UNIVERSITY OF LONDONparticipant · UK
UNIVERSITY CLINIC OF PSYCHIATRYparticipant · MK

How to reach the team

The coordinator is Queen Mary University of London (UK). SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the project team.

Order a report on this consortium See QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing DIALOG+ or using the implementation playbook in your market? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the research team and help structure a collaboration.

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