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FAQs

All of your MBC and Greenspace questions, answered by our team.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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Does Greenspace maintain security practices in line with industry best practices and Canadian standards?

Security of patient information and privacy is the foundation of the Greenspace platform. We take this responsibility very seriously and have implemented significant measures to safeguard patients’ personal health information that exceed industry standards and best practices. Greenspace is SOC 2 Type II compliant and conforms to digital and physical security protocols (including PIPEDA and PHIPA), with SSL-secured access, AES encryption at the filesystem level, and firewalls protecting all data. We take many additional precautions to protect privacy including: requiring strong passwords, automatic logouts, automatic access logging, secured data backups, two factor authentication and restrictive data access procedures. All data and information is stored in Canada. Please review our Security Page for more details.

Is Greenspace compliant with the applicable privacy laws?

Yes. Greenspace is compliant with Canadian federal and provincial privacy legislation, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (Ontario), the Personal Information Protection Act (Alberta), the Personal Information Protection Act (British Columbia), and An Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector (Quebec).

Can the Greenspace team see any Patient information?

No. The Greenspace administrator does not have the ability to identify any patients that are using the platform. A patient’s identity and results can only be accessed and viewed by their therapist.

Does Greenspace have a licence to use the assessments on the platform?

Yes. For all assessments that are added to the platform, we ensure that we have secured the appropriate licence for their use.

Can new assessments be added to the platform?

Yes. We love hearing suggestions from therapists actively using the platform of other assessments that would be beneficial to their patients. As a result, we are always adding to the assessments that are available on the platform.

How does Greenspace select the assessments that are available on the platform?

We determine whether to add an assessment to the platform based on the following criteria:

  • Psychometric properties
  • How widely the assessment is used and validated
  • Length of assessment (all available assessments are between 5 and 20 questions)
  • Cost
  • Therapist feedback
Why is measuring progress important?

Consistent progress monitoring throughout treatment has many benefits. It provides both the client and therapist with insight into treatment progress which increases client engagement, reduces symptom deterioration, and improves client outcomes(Lambert et al., 2005). MBC can also be used as a guide to adjust clinical plans based on how a person is responding to treatment. When symptoms are consistently measured, it is easier for both the client and clinician to recognize when treatment plans are not effective, and outcomes are not being met (UBC Department of Psychiatry, 2020).

Where is patient information and data stored?

All patient information and data is stored in Canada. Greenspace works with a secure cloud hosting provider called Aptible, which is specifically designed to securely manage and store confidential and highly sensitive healthcare information. Aptible has been tested and certified by security professionals from Kaiser Permanente, MD Anderson, UnitedHealth Group, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, and many others. In addition, Aptible is certified for compliance with ISO 27001, SOC 2, and HITRUST CSF.

Is any patient information or data shared with or sold to any third parties?

No. The only people that can see patient information or results are the patient and their care team. Patient information or results are not shared with or sold to any third parties (such as a pharmaceutical or insurance company).

Is there a way to group and categorize clients across my organization?

Yes. Organizations can create patient tags that can be assigned to patients by therapists and administrators. Tags allow patients to be grouped and analyzed by category. Some example categories of tags include, modality, location, diagnosis, treatment type etc

Can we add custom measures or assessments?

Yes. Any assessments that are not currently available on the platform can be added to your account.

Can we create our own intake form?

Yes. You can create your intake form to gather and record information about patients. You can specify which elements should be completed by clients, and those that should only be visible to therapists and administrators.

Can the platform be custom branded?

Yes. The platform can be branded to reflect the digital image of your organization. Custom branding includes, (i) a custom web address; (ii) inclusion of your organization’s logo and colour scheme; (iii) custom patient resources; (iii) removal of all references to Greenspace; and (iv) custom terms of use and privacy policies.

Is there a limit on the number of therapists that can be part of the same organization?

No. There is no limit on the number of therapists that can be part of a Clinic Account.

Do therapists still have to pay a fee if I have a Clinic Account?

No. Therapists that are part of an organization that subscribes to a Clinic Account do not have to pay a monthly fee to access the platform. A single monthly fee is paid by the organization on behalf of all its therapists.

I have a large organization with many different clinics and programs. Is the platform flexible?

Yes. You are able to configure multiple Clinic Accounts within the same Organization. This allows each program or clinic to manage its own progress measurement initiatives, while providing the Organization with a view of all Clinic Accounts within its Organization structure.

Is there a way to limit what certain administrators and support staff are able to view?

Yes. Each time you create and permission an Admin Account, you can specifically select the permissions applicable to that specific person. This means that each Admin Account can be granted the exact permissions and visibility to match the administrator’s day to day role.

Are there dedicated accounts for administrators and support staff?

Yes. Administrators, intake workers and support staff can create Admin Accounts, which provide access to the key administrative functions and views on the platform. Admin Accounts can be used to support a range of different activities, including creating new patients, assigning therapists, assigning assessments, reviewing aggregate outcomes and supervising therapists.

As a director or supervisor, can I see aggregate outcomes across the organization?

Yes. Directors and supervisors are able to see a real time display of the aggregate outcomes across their organization. The information presented is updated in real time and presents a clear view into the impact the organization and its therapists are having on patient outcomes. Clinic directors can modify and curate the information across a range of different factors, including by assessment type, patient tags and by therapist.

How many assessments are typically assigned to each client?

On average there are three assessments assigned to each client on the platform, but you can always add more depending on the unique identified needs of individual clients.

Which assessments are most commonly assigned to clients on the Platform?

The two most commonly assigned assessments are the PHQ-9 (Depression) and the BR-WAI (Therapeutic Alliance).

Can clients see their results?

Yes. Both therapists and clients can access the results through their Greenspace accounts. Clients being able to access and view their own results is important because it increases their engagement, and progress measurement has been demonstrated by a number of studies to have a much larger impact when results are displayed to both the therapist and the client.

Do my clients have to sign up for an account in order to participate?

No. You can complete an assessment with a new client instantly, without requiring the patient to sign up for an account. If the client is interested in receiving assessments outside of their session and viewing their own results, they will need to sign up for an account. This can be done at any time and doesn’t need to be done when they complete their first assessment.

Can I complete assessments with clients in my office?

Yes. Greenspace gives therapists the option to have their clients complete their assessments in their office during a session. This can be done on a device being used by the therapist (tablet or computer) or can be done using the Kiosk, which facilitates simple completion of assessments in a waiting room or during session.

How do clients complete assessments?

Therapists select the appropriate clinical, functional, addictions and therapeutic alliance assessments for each client. The therapist then has a choice as to whether they would like the assigned assessments to be automatically delivered to the client by email or sms on a recurring schedule or if they would like the patient to complete the assessment during their visit to the office. Clients don’t need to download an app and can easily complete the assessments on any device (phone, tablet, computer).

Who is considered a therapist? Do I qualify?

“Therapists” are individuals who are licensed to provide psychotherapy services and include, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, MD psychotherapists, occupational therapists and registered psychotherapists.

Who is responsible for billing and payment for sessions with a matched patient?

You are. All billing and payment is completed according to the processes you have in place for the rest of your practice.

Once matched with a patient, do I have to use the progress measurement platform?

All therapists are encouraged to use the progress measurement platform with patients, however it is not a strict requirement.

Will I have a public profile that can be viewed by anyone who visits the Greenspace website?

No. Your participation in the Matching Program is not communicated to anyone who visits the Greenspace website. Greenspace is not a directory of therapists.

What information will I receive about new patients?

You will receive a detailed intake report that summarizes the symptoms exhibited by your new patient. Participating therapists appreciate the streamlined process and up front information, as it saves time and allows for a more effective first meeting with a new patient.

Do I have to accept all patients that are matched with me?

No. You always have the option to pass on any patients that are matched with you.

If I am only interested in Progress Measurement, do I have to participate in the Accessing Care Program?

No. When signing up for an account, you have the option to specify whether you are interested in participating in the Accessing Care Program.

Where is the Matching Program available?

Currently the program is only available in the Greater Toronto Area. We will be expanding to other geographic regions within the next several months.

Do I have to have a therapist to participate?

No. If you live in Ontario, you can use Greenspace to find a therapist that is appropriate and well suited to you. By completing the digital intake questionnaire at patient.gs, you are matched based on objective data with a therapist from the Greenspace network.

Are sessions in person or via online video?

It is up to you as to whether you prefer to meet with a therapist in person or online, and you will be matched accordingly.

What is the fee to participate?

There is no fee to use Greenspace to find a therapist suitable for you. However, the therapist you are matched with will charge a fee for their services, as psychotherapy is not publicly funded by Provincial health plans. Session fees are determined by the therapist and range from $100 to $250 (depending on the type of therapist – e.g social worker, psychotherapist or psychologist). Many insurance plans cover therapy services, but patients are responsible for determining their level of coverage.

Who owns my data?

You do. Greenspace securely stores and presents your progress to you and your therapist. If you stop using Greenspace, you can take your data with you.

Is Greenspace a replacement for having to see my therapist?

No. Greenspace is a clinical tool that does not replace sessions with your therapist. Measuring your progress using Greenspace supplements and supports the therapy process with additional objective information.

How do I complete the assessments?

Assessments can be completed in-office during a session with your therapist or can be delivered to you remotely via email or sms. When it is time to complete an assessment, you will receive an email or sms (depending on what you select when you sign up) containing a button, which opens the assessment selected for you by your therapist. The assessments are short and can be easily completed on any device (phone, tablet, computer).

How do I sign up?

If you have a therapist, your therapist will send you an email invitation that contains a button to sign up for an account. If you do not receive an invitation from your therapist, you can also sign up here. When creating your account, you will be asked to enter some basic personal information and select whether you want to receive assessments by email or sms (text message).

Do I have to have a therapist to participate?

Yes. Progress Measurement is a clinical tool (rather than a self-help app) that requires a pre-existing clinical relationship between a therapist and patient.

Is there a fee to participate?

No. There is no fee for you (the client) to participate.

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