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The present and future of blended care: current research and introduction to the B-FIT framework
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  • Perspective
  • Open access
  • Published: 26 March 2026

The present and future of blended care: current research and introduction to the B-FIT framework

  • Laura Luisa Bielinski  ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4145-62531,
  • Rebekka Büscher2,
  • Severin Hennemann3,
  • Carmen Henning4,
  • Simon H. Kohl5,6,
  • Caroline Meyer7,
  • Annika S. Reinhold8,9,
  • Lena Sophia Steubl9,10,
  • Ingrid Titzler11,12,
  • Lea Vogel13,14,
  • Anna-Carlotta Zarski15 &
  • …
  • Carmen Schaeuffele  ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5902-072516 

npj Digital Medicine , Article number:  (2026) Cite this article

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We are providing an unedited version of this manuscript to give early access to its findings. Before final publication, the manuscript will undergo further editing. Please note there may be errors present which affect the content, and all legal disclaimers apply.

Subjects

  • Health care
  • Psychiatric disorders

Abstract

Blended care (BC), combining face-to-face therapy with digital components, is gaining momentum in the field of mental health, yet lacks conceptual clarity. This perspective paper outlines a dimensional conceptualization of BC and introduces the B-FIT (Blend-Focus-Integration-Timing) framework. We highlight the need to refine the theoretical foundations of BC, strengthen the evidence base for its effectiveness, and integrate stakeholder perspectives to inform future research and support the successful implementation of BC.

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Data availability

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

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Acknowledgements

This work has not received any specific funding. L.V. is supported by the German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung [BMBF]) and the Ministry of Bavaria (01EE2303A).

Funding

Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Laura Luisa Bielinski

  2. Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

    Rebekka Büscher

  3. Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy and Experimental Psychopathology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany

    Severin Hennemann

  4. Professorship of Psychopathology, Institute of Psychology, University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany

    Carmen Henning

  5. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

    Simon H. Kohl

  6. JARA-Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

    Simon H. Kohl

  7. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Dept. of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Caroline Meyer

  8. Department of Public Mental Health, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany

    Annika S. Reinhold

  9. German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site, Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm, Heidelberg, Germany

    Annika S. Reinhold & Lena Sophia Steubl

  10. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany

    Lena Sophia Steubl

  11. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Ingrid Titzler

  12. PRIVATKLINIK REGENA Bad Brückenau, Bad Brückenau, Germany

    Ingrid Titzler

  13. Department of Psychology, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany

    Lea Vogel

  14. German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site, Munich, Germany

    Lea Vogel

  15. Division of eHealth in Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Philipps Universiät Marburg, Marburg, Germany

    Anna-Carlotta Zarski

  16. Clinical-Psychological Intervention, Dept. of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Carmen Schaeuffele

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Contributions

L.L.B. and C.S. conceptualized the manuscript and the B-FIT framework. L.L.B., R.B., S.H., C.H., S.H.K., C.M., A.S.R., L.S.S., I.T., L.V., A.C.Z., and C.S. wrote the initial draft of the manuscript. L.L.B. and C.S. edited the initial draft. L.L.B., R.B., S.H., C.H., S.H.K., C.M., A.S.R., L.S.S., I.T., L.V., A.C.Z., and C.S. contributed to the final draft of the manuscript. L.L.B. and C.S. edited the final draft. Authors I.T., C.H., and C.M. designed the expert survey and C.H. conducted the qualitative analysis found in the supplementary material. All authors approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Laura Luisa Bielinski or Carmen Schaeuffele.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

A.C.Z. receives royalties for a digital health application (DiGA) for sexual dysfunction implemented in routine care in Germany. She reports having received fees for delivering presentations at scientific conferences and for producing expert videos for a digital health application (DiGA). I.T. reports having received fees for lectures/workshops in the e-mental-health and digital interventions context from professional associations and training institutes for psychotherapists. All other authors have no interests to disclose.

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Bielinski, L.L., Büscher, R., Hennemann, S. et al. The present and future of blended care: current research and introduction to the B-FIT framework. npj Digit. Med. (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-026-02526-4

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  • Received: 23 May 2025

  • Accepted: 27 February 2026

  • Published: 26 March 2026

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-026-02526-4

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