Digital mental health

Have you been diagnosed with or have symptoms of depression? Access internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) through your Discovery Health app.

Digital therapeutics is a new class of evidence-based therapeutic interventions delivered online and recommended by a healthcare professional.

The Discovery Health's solution for digital mental health care (delivered in partnership with Silvercloud by Amwell, Digital Therapeutics Xpress (Pty) Limited, and registered with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority) gives you access to innovative, internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) technology.

-SilverCloud is an award-winning, on-demand digital mental health and wellbeing platform with a proven impact across more than one million users worldwide. Find out more about our digital therapeutics.

What is internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT)?

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) helps you to better understand your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Studies show that cognitive behavioural therapy is the best way to treat various mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. It can be offered face-to-face in a therapy session or online and guides you to make positive changes that are proven to reduce symptoms and increase your overall wellbeing. It also helps to prevent you from having a relapse.

Cognitive behavioural therapy has been used successfully for many years and is now also available online in the form of internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT). And evidence shows that ICBT is just as effective in treating depression and anxiety as CBT that is delivered face-to-face.

-Ongoing platform data shows that approximately 65% of SilverCloud users experience significant improvements and 56% of users diagnosed with symptoms of depression or anxiety were diagnosis-free within three months of using the platform.

*Diagnosis-free means that a person's symptoms have improved to the point that they no longer meet the criteria for a diagnosis of depression or anxiety

Who can use the digital therapeutics for mental health available on the Discovery Health app?

Digital therapeutics for mental health is available to you if you are a Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) member who is 18 years or older. This mental health tool is most suitable if you have a diagnosis or symptoms of mild to moderate depression or depression with anxiety.

Just like medicine and some treatments, the digital therapeutics available on your Discovery Health app must be recommended for you by your GP, psychologist or psychiatrist. This can be by enrolling for the Mental Health Care Programme, applying for out-of-hospital treatment of a Prescribed Minimum Benefit or by direct request from your healthcare professional.

How you access digital therapeutics on the Discovery Health app

Once your treating healthcare professional has prescribed digital therapeutics, SilverCloud will send you an invitation by email. Simply:

1. Open the Discovery Health app.
2. Go to the My health
3. Click on the SilverCloud

You will then have access to various interactive modules that are personalised according to your specific needs, such as:

• An ICBT course focussed on helping you to combat depression or depression with anxiety.
• A bonus wellbeing course to help you with resilience, sleep and coping with stress.

You will also have access to:

• Personal supporters to guide you through the modules, offer technical assistance, and encouragement throughout your course completion.

You can work through the course modules at any time that is convenient to you and real-time information will be shared with your treating healthcare professional so that they can track your progress too.

How payment works for digital mental health

This digital course is paid from any benefit where psychotherapy is covered, subject to benefit approval and availability.

Where benefits are available and once you have started your course, we’ll pay for ICBT as ONE of the following:

• One psychotherapy session from the Out-of-hospital Treatment Benefit for a Prescribed Minimum Benefit condition.
• From the allocated rand amount for psychotherapy, which forms part of the Mental Health Care Programme basket of care. We pay at the agreed Discovery Health Rate.
• From your available day-to-day benefits. We pay at the agreed Discovery Health Rate.

The once-off cost paid from your benefits gives you access to the SilverCloud platform for 12 months.

What to expect on the statement from your medical scheme

Digital Therapeutics Xpress (Pty) Ltd. is the local provider of this service for mental health care. They will claim the agreed Discovery Health Rate from your medical scheme.

On your medical scheme statement, you’ll see the name Digital Therapeutics Xpress (Pty) Ltd. and the procedure code DTCBT.

There may be a delay between when you start your SilverCloud course and when the claim is processed.

Convenient therapy for mental wellbeing

Good mental health is an important part of your overall health and wellbeing. Now, with digital therapeutics for mental health on your Discovery Health app, you can improve your mental wellbeing conveniently in the comfort of your own home.

Not sure how good your mental health is? Find out now by taking the Mental Wellbeing Assessment on your Discovery Health App

Learn more about mental health by exploring our Mental Health Hub.

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