Product Questions

What is a Mind Screen?

The Mind Screen is a secure, online structured clinical interview for behavioral health assessment application for all behavioral health practitioners. The computer-based interactive method is straight-forward and easy to use. It generates a report of the patient's responses, an automated and interactive behavioral health treatment plan template and longitudinal record-keeping for practitioners seeking to accelerate the assessment, diagnosis and treatment process. It is a new technology for real-time practitioner-patient interaction and follow up that leads to improved behavioral health outcomes and enables doctors to increase the efficiency of the practice work flow and earn additional revenue. 

How accurate is the Mind Screen?

The Mind Screen is a patient self assessment application, which is as accurate as the patient responses to the questions themselves. The Mind Screen is an assessment tool and not a diagnostic tool. It reflects with 100% accuracy the responses the patient has provided. It is also significantly more comprehensive and accurate than single – interview sessions with the patient because of the one-on-one times afforded to the patient, and the way the interaction becomes convincing to the patient. This phenomenon is well-known by educators and care-givers in the social and psychological sciences, and even Internet-generated Q&A systems. The report provides the practitioner with an assessment of the patient’s overall behavioral health by generating an assessment based on the way the patient has responded to an adaptive questioning algorithm. Armed with the Mind Screen Assessment the practitioner is then responsible for further patient investigation prior to arriving at a final diagnosis.

Can the Mind Screen ever be wrong?

As The Mind Screen is a patient-driven questionnaire, it is as accurate as the patient’s response to the questions. If a patient accidentally answers a question incorrectly, then the assessment may vary from an assessment resulting from a different answer to that question. The follow-up consultation with the patient is the opportunity for the doctor and patient to review the Assessment Report together and diskuss next steps if necessary. Therefore, the Mind Screen 100% accurately reflects the patient's responses and can not be “wrong” even in principle; to the extent the patient tells the truth about values and feelings, as is the case with all clinical interviews. 

What age group is the Mind Screen intended for?

The Mind Screen is intended for use by 18-65 year old patients who are genuinely seeking to get better and are therefore providing truthful answers. Use the Mind Screen by patients or clients outside of this age range is up to the diskretion and professional judgement of the practitioner.   

How does the Mind Screen work?

Once a doctor has identified a patient they consider would benefit from a Mind Screen session, they or a staff member creates a Mind Screen session. THe patient logs in with their Session ID and Session Password and pay the Session Fee through a secure payment gateway before commencing their session. The questions are yes/no, scale questions or list questions. Questions are asked one at a time and the next question asked is dependent on the previous answer given. The adaptive or ‘intelligent’ questionnaire therefore only asks questions relevant to the patient. For example, if the patient is a man or a menopausal woman, it will not ask questions about post-natal depression. Also, when a patient answers several questions relating to a particular disorder indicating that disorder is not a concern for them, the Mind Screen will make this determination and move on to the questions relating to the next disorder, until it has completed all of the disorders covered.  

How is the Mind Screen better than existing psychometric/psychiatric evaluation tests?

The Mind Screen is not a psychometric test. A psychometric test is not a clinical evaluation for behavioral health purposes, but rather a tool often used by recruitment firms or HR departments to assess a person’s suitability to a particular job profile. Nor, is it a computer-generated “Personality Profile.” 

The Mind Screen is a clinical psychiatric behavioral health self assessment application where the results are only accessible by the patient through their Family Physician or specialist behavioral health practitioner. Compared with cumbersome paper-based psychiatric outcome tools the Mind Screen has significant advantages. Primarily, the paper-based outcome tools are only able to provide an assessment of one or two disorders in isolation. The Mind Screen is unique in its ability to assess multiple disorders simultaneously which is extremely important in arriving at accurate assessments. The fact the Mind Screen is in an electronic form also enables it to append significant other functionality such as ongoing patient management and tracking of progress, care planning, recording of patient history, family history and medication history as well as providing an electronic record to ensure the doctor has accurate case notes and sufficient evidence of clinical competency in the event of any future legal audit.  

If I am a psychiatrist. Are you asking my patient to trust your computer program rather than my expert diagnosis?

The Mind Screen is not a diagnostic tool and is not intended to replace the practitioner whether they are a Family Physician, clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, behavioral health nurse or specialist physician. The Mind Screen is, rather, an aid for a practitioner to collect information from a patient far more quickly than they could even in multiple face to face consultations.  

Some psychiatrists use the Mind Screen as a means of getting a quick ‘big picture’ overview from the patients’ own perspective of their own behavioral health. Others find the Mind Screen is the most complete and elegant way to determine if a referral to a Psychiatrist may or may not be warranted. This is often accomplished during the first practice-visit by a new patient. Other practitioners have their patients use the Mind Screen regularly to utilize the full benefit of the Continuous Monitoring and the Treatment Planning functions. The responsibility of the final diagnosis always rests with the referring practitioner. 

Where was the Mind Screen developed?

The Mind Screen was developed over the last six years by interdiskiplinary behavioral health professionals in both Australia and the US. The Harvard School of Medicine and the Wayne State School of Medicine are further researching the replacement of 1^st Generation screening tools with the 3^rd Generation Mind Screen and are seeking quantification of the greater cost-effectiveness for patients and improved patient-practitioner relationships that result from the use of the Mind Screen.  

I’d like to see the Mind Screen questionnaire for myself, and get a sample report, before registering. Can you arrange for this?

The best way to see the Mind Screen questionnaire for yourself is to complete a Mind Screen session yourself. The Mind Screen is free for practitioners and practitioners are also allocated a small number of sessions where there is no charge for the end user. You can run ‘mock patients’ or even real patients through the application without incurring a fee for your first few sessions.  

Another way of seeing more of the Mind Screen is to participate in a real-time tutorial with one of our Relationship Managers who will be available to answer any questions you may have about the Mind Screen including talking you through some sample reports. Contact us on support@globalmindscreen.com.au to arrange a real-time tutorial. 

How do I contact other practitioners using the Mind Screen?

If you would like to speak with a Mind Screen practitioner in your area please make this request directly on our Enquiry Form in the Contact Us section of our Global Mind Screen website and we will make an introduction. 

Are you sure the Mind Screen is secure?

Yes, the Mind Screen application and the back-end secure area to the Mind Screen websites are fully secure and protected by the GeoTrust True BusinessID SSL certificate that combines both a 256-bit encryption and identity verification in a single bundle. This combination provides a new level of online security for both you and your patients. 

Registration Questions

How do I register to become an Accredited Mind Screen Practitioner?

Registering is easy. All you need to do is click on the “Get started now" or "Register” buttons on the website and follow the instructions. Simply provide information about your practice, a contact person, and your own practitioner details. When this is done, you will receive an email from Global Mind Screen confirming your medical center’s registration has been received. Each doctor you registered will also receive a separate email letting them know they have been registered and that their credentials are being verified in order to fully accredit them. As soon as they are accredited each practitioner will receive a second email with a secure Username and Initial Password so they can begin using the Mind Screen. If you need further help, click on the “Instructions for New Users” link under the "Support" menu item or email support@globalmindscreen.com.au. 

Do doctors need certified training in behavioral health to qualify for accreditation?

There is no requirement for practitioners to have additional behavioral health certified training over and above the behavioral health training completed to gain your practicing credentials in your country.

What are your criteria for accrediting doctors?

The only requirement for accreditation as a Mind Screen Practitioner is provision of your practicing credentials in your country, state, or territory. For example, in Australia practitioners must provide their Provider/Registration number in their state.

I am a practitioner outside of Australia or the US. Can I still use the Mind Screen?

Yes, you can, but first we will need to accredit you which will require us to confirm your credentials in your country. Please click on the "Register" or "Get started now" button on the website, complete the registration process and we will be in touch with you directly if you are from a country not yet covered by Global Mind Screen Group. 

I am an allied health professional. Can I refer a patient to complete a Mind Screen session?

Yes, if you are part of a medical health-care provider team that does behavioral health or psychiatric screening under the direction of a licensed Family Physician or Psychiatrist, or whose practice refers to the same. 

Is there a trial period for this?

No, the pilot/Beta/trial period for Global Mind Screen was in 2008. As the Mind Screen is FREE to practitioners there is nothing to lose by registering and trying it out.  There is no fixed term contract between your practice and Global Mind Screen Group and you are under no obligation to continue using the Mind Screen.

Financial Questions

What is the Mind Screen fee for my patients?

The Mind Screen session fee is set by you, the practitioner. If you refer your patients to register themselves and nominate you as their practitioner fee, they will pay the one-off session fee of $AU59. If however you have pre-purchased Mind Screen sessions for your practice and received volume diskounts, then your patients will pay you whatever you choose to charge them. It is up to you whether you choose to pass on any of the diskount you receive from GMS.

Who pays the Mind Screen fee?

This depends on whether the Mind Screen session is created by the patient or the practitioner.

If you refer your patients to register themselves through our patient portal then the Mind Screen session fee is payable by them online. When they log into their Mind Screen session using their Session ID and Session Password, they will see a payment page which they need to complete with either debit or credit card details. They select their card type, enter the card number and expiry date and enter the 3-digit CVV number found on the back of their card. It is usually the last three digits of a seven digit number. As soon as they have paid, they will be directed to the first page of the Mind Screen.

If you or your administration staff register your patient through the practitioner portal then the session is deducted from the pre-paid sessions your practice has purchased at a volume diskount from GMS. You can then choose to add a Mind Screen session charge to your patient's invoice. What you charge is up to you.

What if my patient doesn't have a debit or credit card?

If one of your patients does not have a debit or credit card, you can choose to pay on behalf of your patient by selecting the Practitioner Payment Option. Simply go to Step 4 of the Create Session process and insert your personal or center card details and pay for the session. You can then add the Mind Screen fee to your patient's consultation bill. Some practitioners in circumstances where they know the patient has no capacity to pay and where they strongly believe it is in the patients best interest to be assessed quickly and a treatment plan prepared quickly, will offer to pay on behalf on their patient and not seek payment through their usual billing process.  

My patient tried to pay online but it is not accepting their card. Are they doing something incorrectly?

Sometimes patients will make a mistake when entering their card details or more often they will enter the wrong numbers for the CVV (Card Verification Value) on the patient payment page. As a security measure, when an error is made three times the patient session is locked for 24 hours and the patient must try again in 24 hours. If it is absolutely vital that a session be created immediately, then please contact customer support and we will arrange for a new session to be created. Common mistakes made on the patient payment screen are: Using an American Express card which is not currently accepted, selecting one card type and entering the details of another card, using an expired card, incorrectly entering card details, or using a card that is over it's maximum credit limit. If the session is being done at Centre, please assist your patient with this process if they appear unsure. If the session is being done at Home/Outside Centre and a patient calls to say they are having difficulties paying, please refer them to Global Mind Screen Support at support@globalmindscreen.com.au to receive assistance before they try a third time and get locked out.  

Is there a fee for becoming an Accredited Mind Screen practitioner?

No.  The Mind Screen is FREE to all practitioners to refer their patients to use.

Are there any other fees?

There are no fees payable to Global Mind Screen Group for the use of the Mind Screen service. There is no fixed term contract between your practice and Global Mind Screen Group and you are under no obligation to continue using the Mind Screen.

Is there a Medicare or other government rebate for patients?

Mental health screening applications are currently not covered by Australia's Federal Medicare legislation, but there is precedent for screening per se to be covered. Global Mind Screen Group is currently working diligently to have the Mind Screen covered in the future for patients.

Which private health insurance schemes, if any, will give me a rebate?

Please consult your patient’s private health insurer directly to diskuss private insurance coverage. In the US, most private health insurance schemes will give you, the doctor, a rebate for screening your patient and for the follow-up consultation, care planning and for conducting subsequent Mind Screen sessions. In time we will provide a list of those schemes that do and they will be invited to register their details, and their billing codes, on our website for your convenience. Until then, please consult your patient’s private health insurer directly. 

Internet Connection Questions

Can I use the Mind Screen without an internet connection?

No, the Mind Screen application is an Internet-based application and as such you need a computer with an internet connection to use the system. The Mind Screen application can be run over a wireless connection. 

Can I use my wireless connection?

The Mind Screen application can be run over a wireless connection. 

Can I use a public or unsecured wireless connection to run the Mind Screen and will that expose my patient’s details?

The Mind Screen application is protected by the GeoTrust SSL Certificate and this ensures that your data is secure and protected at all times. This means that even if you are using an unsecured wireless connection, your data will still be encrypted by the SSL Certificate, so yes you can use an unsecured wireless connection and your patient data is ALWAYS secure when using the Mind Screen application. 

What should I do if the Mind Screen does not come up in the browser or I get a “Page Not Found” error?

1. Check the connection between your computer and the modem
   1. If it is a wireless connection, ensure that your wireless setting is on and that you are connected to the Internet.
   2. If it is a local area network (LAN) environment, ensure that the blue network cable is securely connected to the computer.


2. Check the modem, to ensure that it is on and functional.
   1. Usually there should be a light indicating that the power is on and another light showing that the modem is connected to the internet.


3. Restart the modem
   1. To do this, switch off the modem, wait 60 seconds, then switch the modem back on
   
   
4. Check the computer to see if the Mind screen application is running.


5. If it is still not functioning, call your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to ensure that there is not an outage in your area.

Practical Questions

How long does it take for my patient to complete a Mind Screen session?

Most patients complete a Mind Screen session in about 15-30 minutes. Some may be a little faster and some may take longer. There is no minimum or maximum time limit within which a patient must complete a Mind Screen session. The Assessment Report records the session length so if your patient took 45 minutes or longer to complete their session you may wish to diskuss that with them.  

What if my patient cannot complete their Mind Screen session at one sitting?

If a Mind Screen session is interrupted, perhaps a child needs to be collected from school, or there is some other emergency, the Mind Screen remembers the last question answered and the patient can resume their session at another time from exactly where they left off. 

Do my patients get to see the Assessment Report?

This is entirely up to you and your professional judgement. Some doctors will show their patients the Assessment Report, or even print it out for them. Others may choose not to show them the full Assessment Report but may choose to show them the Continuous Monitoring Graphs, particularly when their patients are improving. Medication compliance rates and doctor rebooking compliance rates increase when patients are able to show their spouse or people close to them graphs of their improvement over time.  

Why should I switch to the Mind Screen when I already have useful behavioral health assessment methods?

If you are completely satisfied with your current behavioral health assessment methods, then continue with your current practice. However, first confirm your current behavioral health assessment method offers the following benefits and features:

• covers a range of DSM-IV-TR/ICD-10 multi-axial definitions meaning it is able to provide an assessment of multiple disorders in isolation;
• has shown time and time again that it picks up disorders that doctors have missed in traditional face to face consultations;
• improves the doctor patient relationship and practice loyalty;
• includes a Continuous Monitoring Function to assist you to monitor your patient’s progress over time;
• produces an automated customized care planning tool to help you set goals and actions with your patient and manage their ongoing treatment;
• increases the efficiency and work flow of your practice;
• provides a complete electronic audit trail to ensure the doctor has accurate case notes and sufficient evidence of clinical competency in the event of any future legal audit;
• reduces paper work and is easy to use; and
• saves you time and generates additional revenue

If your current behavioral health assessment method does not offer all of the above then the Mind Screen is deserving of your careful consideration. 

Why do I need the Mind Screen when I already have a behavioral health nurse who does our Mental Health Treatment Plans?

The Mind Screen is not designed to replace professional behavioral health staff whether they are practitioners, behavioral health nurses, or other behavioral health professionals. The Mind Screen is a screening and outcome application that helps all of these professionals collect patient driven information quickly and accurately and in a format that can be easily used by that professional and/or their staff. Most importantly, the Mind Screen frees up the professional’s valuable time so they and/or their qualified staff can spend quality time with the patient on Treatment Planning and monitoring progress with the aid of the Continuous Monitoring Graphs.  

Can someone with no computer skills complete a Mind Screen session?

Yes. The Mind Screen only requires that the patient is able to read the language in which the Mind Screen is delivered in their country. Questions are answered by clicking a mouse on answer buttons on the screen. In circumstances where the patient is unable to read the questions they can be assisted by having the questions read aloud to them.  

How do I ensure patients don’t get access to my medical center computer system if they do the Mind Screen on one of our computers?

This is simple. If you do not wish your patients to get access to your center’s computer system for privacy reasons, then we recommend you use a stand alone computer with Internet access. You can also opt to have your patient complete their Mind Screen session outside of your center. Many patients are completing their Mind Screen sessions at home or anywhere private where they can access a computer that is connected to the Internet.  

What if we don’t have a spare computer, a private room or the space available in our practice for patients to do the Mind Screen?

Global Mind Screen Group’s preferred practice is to provide patients with privacy when completing the Mind Screen. However, we also recognize that not all medical centers have an available private room for patients to complete a Mind Screen session. In such cases, we consider it better that the patient complete their Mind Screen session outside of the center, usually at home, than to not have the opportunity to complete a Mind Screen at all.

Can we still use the Mind Screen if our medical center has paper-based patient records and is not yet computerized?

Yes, unless you have no computers at all. The Mind Screen is an Internet enabled application which means you require at least one computer with an internet connection. If you have this, then you can begin using the Mind Screen. The Assessment Report can be printed and inserted in paper-based patient records.

Does every practitioner in the center/clinic need to have their own email address? And what if that is not currently the case?

Yes, every practitioner requires their own email address because it is their email address that is used as their unique identifier and provides the first (of many) levels of security in our back end system. If a practitioner does not have an e-mail address, or does not want to use their personal e-mail address then the medical center’s Internet Service Provider will usually be able to organize free e-mail accounts to all practitioners in the center. If that is not the case, then there are a number of companies that do provide free e-mail accounts that are quick and easy to set up. These include yahoo, hotmail and gmail, to name just a few. 

Does the report get emailed to the referring practitioner?

The Assessment Report is not emailed to the practitioner. The referring practitioner accesses all of his or her results using their unique Username and Password. When the report is retrieved it can be forwarded by email by the practitioner to an administrator or behavioral health specialist if necessary. Future versions of the Mind Screen will be integrated with selected patient management software applications. 

Can we have the report imported directly into our practice patient management system?

Not at this stage, but the Assessment Report can be saved as a PDF and indirectly imported into patient management software systems that allow 3^rd party records to be attached to a patient’s medical record. Future versions of the Mind Screen will be fully integrated with selected leading patient management software applications. 

Can patients complete the Mind Screen at home?

Yes. The Mind Screen is intended to be completed in a professional medical environment. However we understand that not all medical practices have the space or spare computer hardware to have patients complete their Mind Screen session 'at center'. The Create Session process provides an option to select where their patient will complete their session.   

Can the practitioner see the specific answers the patient gave to each and every question?

No. The questionnaire and the underlying algorithm and weightings that sit behind the questionnaire or the specific answers by patients to each question, are not available to the practitioner. However, the 'More Info' button provides detailed patient specific symptomatology for each disorder in which the patient is assessed as having a mild or greater severity rating. The Assessment Report is intended to be an overview of the patients overall behavioral health that provides DSM-IV suggested definitions for the doctor to investigate further. When a patient is identified as having a mild, moderate or severe severity rating for a disorder, then the referring practitioner should spend further time with the patient investigating the reasons that disorder has been identified. This will usually be done by spending quality practitioner-patient time to arrive at a practitioner-based diagnosis and agreed treatment plan

Can I provide suggestions and input into future versions of the Mind Screen?

Absolutely, Global Mind Screen Group seeks to continually improve its systems, processes, the Mind Screen application itself and of course its customer service. The Practitioner secure sections of the Global Mind Screen website have feedback buttons where you can provide feedback and input to help us meet your needs. Your feedback is welcomed and whenever we can make improvements with immediate effect we will do so. Otherwise, we will seek to include feedback into future versions of the Mind Screen. 

When can I get started?

As soon as you are an Accredited Mind Screen Practitioner you can begin using the Mind Screen and referring your patients. We aim to accredit practitioners within two hours of receiving their registration. In certain circumstances this may take longer.

How can I get started?

To get started simply enter your Username and Password into the Secure Login box on the Home Page. Doing so will direct you to a secure Welcome Page website accessible only to Accredited Mind Screeners^TM or Accredited Administrators respectively. Print out the 'How To Use The Mind Screen' instructions and from there you can begin doing whatever it is you have logged in for, i.e. to change a password, add a patient, create a session, retrieve a report. It really is that simple.