Summary

The Challenge 

The Sandbox, part of Mindler's NHS commissioned service supporting children and young people, sought to streamline their clinical operations and reduce laborious processes in order to provide an improved patient experience and well-defined care flow unique to each NHS contract.

The Outcome 

With Awell, Mindler achieved an 80% reduction in time spent on patient care coordination, streamlined onboarding, and enhanced adaptability to NHS contracts, transforming their approach to mental health care and reaching an average staff experience NPS of 9.5.

Introduction

As the Product Lead at Mindler UK, a virtual-first care organization on a mission to make mental well-being accessible and compassionate, Amy Coltman cares deeply about providing an excellent patient experience. 

One of Mindler’s key initiatives, The Sandbox, underscores their mission. Designed to bolster the mental well-being of children and young people in the United Kingdom, The Sandbox serves as a digital hub where users can delve into mental health content, engage in online events, share their emotions, and register for NHS-funded therapy sessions.

However, the key lies in seamlessly blending digital tools with existing clinical processes and expertise that define patient-centred care. Mindler sought a user-friendly and intuitive solution that could truly scale without inflating their team size. Their search led to Awell, a no-code clinical workflow automation platform that transformed their approach to mental health care.

Problem: Mindler's clinical operations were complex and difficult to scale

For Mindler’s patients - young people aged between 5 and 25 years old - seeking help for their mental health can be a major life event. As a front line NHS commissioned service, the Mindler Sandbox is often the first time that these young people have sought help or engaged with healthcare services. At that age, a long waiting list can seem like a lifetime - and the evidence shows that making young people wait for therapy risks their mental health worsening and reduces overall outcomes. 

Before Awell, Mindler’s team had work hard to produce a unified view of their patients across different systems. This created additional manual processes and risked slowing down response times as the organisation grew. Adding to the complexity, every NHS contract that Mindler secured was unique, requiring tailored processes and adjustments. This constant need to adapt and modify existing workflows further strained the existing manual systems, making scalability a significant challenge.

As the number of patients increased, the knee-jerk reaction often was to hire more staff to tackle the operational challenges. But this strategy would not only stretch the company's resources but also impact patient experience, with operational teams dedicating countless hours to tasks ripe for automation instead of providing care. "More staff might solve a problem temporarily, but technology like Awell provides a sustainable, patient-centered solution that aligns with our vision for excellent health care," reflects Amy.

A prime example was Mindler's patient onboarding process. They utilized a clinical questionnaire creator to collect patient data. Once this data was collected, a care coordinator would manually review the responses to ascertain a patient's eligibility for treatment. If found eligible, the coordinator would manually enter the patient's details into their Electronic Health Record (EHR). This approach was labour-intensive, introduced the risk of error, and took away valuable staff time from more meaningful patient tasks.

Solution: Mindler avoided ClinOps debt by using Awell

Recognizing that throwing people at the problem wasn’t the answer, Mindler’s leadership prioritized clinical efficiency. To truly scale without inflating their team size, they sought a solution that could transcend the limitations of spreadsheets and maximize automation. Their search led to Awell, a no-code clinical workflow automation platform designed to streamline operations and ensure that every part of their technology stacks speaks the same language. With Awell, Mindler was not just avoiding common pitfalls; they were setting a new standard for healthtech operations. 

With Awell, Mindler has significantly streamlined their onboarding process. Now, the journey begins on a landing page where patients input their details. Based on this information, Awell helps determine the patient’s eligibility for treatment. A member of the clinical team can review the summarised patient’s clinical assessment and confirm the treatment pathway most suitable, ensuring patient safety remains. "Patient safety is paramount. Awell has helped us minimize the risk of errors by standardizing our processes,” adds Amy. Once confirmed, Awell seamlessly registers the patient within their EHR system.

But Awell's impact doesn't stop at onboarding. It's a comprehensive solution that extends beyond initial onboarding. "Awell can solve far more problems than you might first think. It's not just a tool; it's a comprehensive solution that can enhance most processes within your business. Explore it, understand it, and let it transform the way you operate," Amy emphasizes. This broader application has allowed Mindler to explore new avenues of care and efficiency and elevate the quality of care delivered to patients.

Result: Mindler’s clinical efficiency soars with Awell

The introduction of Awell into Mindler’s operations has been transformative. Mindler experienced an 80% reduction in time spent onboarding patients, without compromising the user experience. 

But the benefits don’t stop at time savings. The agility Awell offers is evident in how Mindler can swiftly adapt to new NHS contracts. Whether it was collecting different PROMs or adjusting eligibility criteria, Awell's agility enabled Mindler to meet the unique requirements of each contract.

“Awell has been the key to unlocking our scalability. Awell's automation allowed us to focus on patient care rather than admin tasks, expanding our services and transforming our approach to mental health care." 

This newfound efficiency has allowed Mindler to focus more on patient care, leading to better outcomes and a more compassionate approach to mental health care. The time saved has also contributed to a more positive work environment, reducing stress and enabling the team to focus on innovation and mission-driven goals. Furthermore, Awell has enabled Mindler to expand their services, allowing them to address more medical conditions such as ADHD & autism, and reach a broader spectrum of patients in need.

The collaboration between Mindler and Awell has also been a highlight of the implementation process. "Working with Awell feels like a true collaboration. Every challenge is an opportunity to improve, and the level of care, responsiveness, and collaboration is unparalleled," Tim Hamer, GM of Mindler UK, reflects. The relationship has been more than just a customer-vendor interaction; it's been a partnership focused on mutual growth and success.

In essence, Awell hasn’t just been a tool for Mindler; it’s been a catalyst for growth, efficiency, and enhanced patient care.