SilverCloud Service Information Guide
Instant access to online mental health support has shown potential to increase patient engagement and improve access for underrepresented groups, including those suffering with LTCs and medically unexplained symptoms. As such, a streamlined digital referral process can help improve recovery rates and outcomes, as well as reducing clinical and administrative burden.
The first Prism partner to utilise the new Direct to Digital pathway is SilverCloud. Patients can self-refer via an iaptus referral form on your service’s website, allowing key demographic data to be captured in the iaptus patient record, whilst enabling the patient to gain near instant access to a ‘client’s choice’ SilverCloud course. Meanwhile, service staff can move the referral through the service care pathway as normal, with patients supported in SilverCloud whilst they wait to begin their recovery journey.
This project was undertaken in collaboration with services to ensure optimised workflow for patients, administrators and clinicians.
Introduction to this guide
This information guide takes you through the iaptus Direct to Digital workflow. This is broken down into several stages: the actions for a new patient wishing to access digital therapy straight away, the process for an iaptus therapist/ admin user upon receiving a Direct to Digital referral, and how the data from this referral will flow between the iaptus and SilverCloud systems. We also share some example scenarios you may find helpful when using the feature.
This is designed to support your service both in regards to training purposes and to ensure you can utilise the feature to its full extent.
Direct to Digital Step by Step iaptus Workflow
Step 1: Patients can refer themselves via a simple and easy to complete form on your service’s website. Once completed, their referral information appears in the ‘Incoming referrals’ section in iaptus.
At the same time, a message is sent to SilverCloud to initiate the patient onboarding process. Within 30 minutes of referral the patient will receive a unique link from SilverCloud to access the platform.
Once on the SilverCloud platform, the patient will be required to set up an account, complete key outcome measures, and self-select the course(s) they wish to complete. They can begin immediately.
Step 2: The patient referral will arrive into iaptus in the same way as any other self-referrals. It will be accompanied by a Direct to Digital flag, clearly notifying users that the referral has come through the Direct to Digital route.
Opening up the referral, you will be able to see whether it has been successfully sent to SilverCloud. If the attempt to send is unsuccessful, a reason will be given.
At this stage, the referral can be processed as normal.
Step 3: If the patient is accepted, the information of the Direct to Digital referral will show in the Refer to provider section of the patient record. There will be no referral therapist name and UUID and the Course will show as Clients Choice.
If the patient is not suitable for the service, at this point, you can discharge the patient from both iaptus and SilverCloud.
Step 4: If the patient is accepted in iaptus you can bring their completed scores or notes into iaptus from the SilverCloud platform. These can form the basis of an assessment.
This is done by performing the usual Prism action of Refer to Provider in the Care Pathway tab. SilverCloud will match the referral you have made from iaptus with the existing instant access referral. At this point a therapist will need to be allocated in iaptus. If you have already assessed the patient and wish to move them to a particular course, you can select this in the dropdown. If not, you can select ‘Clients Choice’ so that they remain on this course in the SilverCloud platform.
Step 5: This referral will show in the Refer to Provider section as a new entry. See image:
Step 6: If any scores have been completed in the SilverCloud platform they will be sent back to iaptus as a clinical contact on the date the matching referral was made (step 4). This is the same as the standard Prism process.
In the Navigation Bar on the left-hand side, there will be a blue bar called ‘Incoming Online Contacts’. This acts as an inbox for all contacts coming back in from an Online Provider.
You can review the list of contacts from here and when clicked it will take you straight to the clinical contact. If the contact is incomplete, iaptus will open the contact for editing. If complete, it will take you to the contact for review. For more information on this process, please refer to the Prism feature user guide.
Set-Up Process
If you already have an established Prism connection with SilverCloud, the Direct to Digital set-up process is very quick and straightforward.
If you do not already have a Prism connection to SilverCloud, this will require a slightly longer set-up process. Full details of the Prism connection set-up process can be found in the Prism Feature Information Guide.
In either case, please raise a support log with your Mayden Account Manager and our Implementation Team will be in touch to guide you through the process.
Tips for implementation
When setting up your website to support Direct to Digital it is crucial that the patient understands what they can expect, including that their data will be sent to the SilverCloud platform. This information should be provided to the patient before they click on the referral form.
We recommend keeping the Online Referral form as short as possible, to minimise barriers to entry.
Example Scenarios
- Patient refers using the Direct to Digital form, is suitable for the service and is accepted by admin in the incoming referrals section. The patient completes the sign-up on the SilverCloud platform and there are scores available to send back to iaptus. Please follow all steps above.
- Patient refers using the Direct to Digital form, is suitable for the service and is accepted by admin in the incoming referrals section. The patient does not complete the sign-up on the SilverCloud platform. SilverCloud will send reminders until the patient completes the sign up and scores are available to send back to iaptus. Please follow all steps above.
- Patient refers using the Direct to Digital form, is suitable for the service and is accepted by admin in the incoming referrals section. The patient partially completes the sign-up on the SilverCloud platform. SilverCloud will send reminders until the patient completes the sign up and scores are available to send back to iaptus. Please follow all steps above.
- Patient refers using the Direct to Digital form, is suitable for the service and is accepted by admin in the incoming referrals section. The patient does not complete the sign-up on the SilverCloud platform. SilverCloud will send reminders but the patient still doesn’t engage. There are no scores to sent back to iaptus. Please follow steps 1-3. The service will need to implement a DNA process or follow-up with the patient via a different route.
To ensure scenarios 1-4 have the greatest success rate, we recommend that admin process Direct to Digital referrals slower than usual so as to allow patients enough time to complete the onboarding process.
- Patient refers using the Direct to Digital form and is not suitable for the service. The patient is discharged and informed as per normal processes. The service will then need to decide whether or not access to SilverCloud is continued. If not, an administrator should take the appropriate action in the SilverCloud platform.
- Patient refers using the Direct to Digital form, is suitable for the service and is accepted by admin in the incoming referrals section. The patient completes the sign-up on the SilverCloud platform and presents as High Risk. The service will be alerted by SilverCloud and a process will need to be implemented to respond to these cases.