Dolev Klein, a recent graduate of Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School in Cornwall, has developed a groundbreaking AI project aimed at reducing wait times for schizophrenia treatment. This September, Klein will begin his studies at Queen’s University with a prestigious Schulich Leader Award scholarship, and his project could lead to significant advancements in mental health care.
“Over the past few months of researching schizophrenia, I discovered a significant issue in receiving treatment for it. I realized that a specialized professional must conduct a schizophrenic interview for every single patient. This causes severe issues with wait times, so I decided to create a solution,” Klein explained.
Klein’s fascination with computer science and machine learning spurred him to apply these technologies to mental health, a field that has seen limited technological innovation. “I realized that mental health is a field where not many people have tried to innovate with technology. It’s heavily human-focused, but many processes are mechanical and can be automated,” he said.
The project began as an idea for a school science fair last December. Klein’s research revealed that long wait times for schizophrenia treatment were largely due to the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) interviews, which are conducted by a limited number of certified professionals. Klein saw an opportunity for standardization through automation. “I found that long wait times for treatment are a major issue in Canada. One of the main causes is a psychiatric interview called the PANSS. I realized that standardization is what computers are built for, so I decided to automate theprocess,” Klein said.
Developing the AI program posed several challenges, including narrowing the focus and implementing the solution. “I spent one day coding for 20 hours straight, which was productive but not recommended,” Klein recounted. His software allows patients to complete the PANSS interview on a computer in about an hour, significantly reducing wait times and operational costs.
Klein discussed his project with a mental health care professional in Cornwall, exploring its potential application to other conditions. “We discussed applying this software to other conditions, such as the admittance interviews done here. These are similar to the PANSS and could be standardized with a computerized system,” he said.
Klein’s achievements were recognized with the Schulich Leader Award, a $120,000 scholarship to study engineering at Queen’s University. He plans to continue his work in AI through Queen’s AI society, QMind, and pursue side projects like this one. “Digital solutions for mental health treatment can significantly reduce wait times. Many companies have tried video interviews with psychiatrists, but there is still a limitednumber of professionals available. The solution is a computerized system that can assist or replace the limited number of certified professionals, addressing the supply-demand issue in mental health services,” Klein emphasized.
Klein’s project demonstrates how innovative technology can address critical issues in mental health care, potentially transforming the way schizophrenia and other conditions are treated in Canada.
