Milou Gerrits

Milou Gerrits has been a senior therapist at Yes We Can Clinics for over three years. She has experience working both with and without Discovery. "The difference is quite significant. The ease with which we can gain insights into a fellow's progress and the speed at which the coaches, who are with the fellows (clients) day and night, can pass on information... Superb."

What did the workflow look like before the introduction of Discovery?

Before Discovery was introduced, information about the fellows (as we call our clients) was communicated through Excel files. It was a considerable task to sift through these files and search for information relevant to your particular fellow. With Discovery, a single click provides a clear overview of individual fellows' status and shows the group-level situation and the overall recovery climate in the clinic.

Is time-saving then the most significant advantage?

The primary benefit is indeed the time saved. The coaches spend less time typing. This is something we notice ourselves as well. We can check off many more items instead of having to type everything. Another significant advantage is the clarity. In Discovery, everyone speaks the same language because there's less typing and more use of standard formulations. This allows information to be presented more visually. The various charts and trend lines let you see how your fellow is doing at a glance.

Moreover, Discovery is much more user-friendly than Excel regarding reading reports. Everything is neatly organised, making finding and absorbing specific information much more accessible. All data about the fellows is sorted in a very convenient way, which also saves us a lot of time.

Does Discovery also enhance the quality of care provided?

The introduction of Discovery has significantly enhanced the effectiveness of our treatments. The ease of access to the information provided by our coaches means we're far more informed about the well-being of our fellows. This immediate access allows us to swiftly adapt to evolving situations or integrate group dynamics into our counseling sessions, enhancing our personalised care.

The utilisation of selectable keywords has also markedly improved our efficiency. At Yes We Can Clinics, we compile our session reports post-interaction rather than during to maintain engagement and attentiveness. Initially, this method placed a premium on memory. However, with Discovery's keywords—tailored to our specific needs, the coaches' feedback, and frequent scenarios—we find an invaluable support tool, significantly aiding our recall and report accuracy.

Moreover, Discovery has fostered even stronger collaborations between our clinicians and coaches. The platform enables us to pose targeted inquiries to coaches, such as monitoring a fellow's eating habits or noting particular behaviours, with the responses being efficiently and promptly communicated back to us. This streamlined communication ensures every detail is noticed, allowing for a more cohesive and comprehensive care strategy.

Discovery: a summary

Working with Discovery has propelled us toward greater operational efficiency and deepened our collaborative efforts. While there is always room for enhancement, the responsive and open communication channels with Hawking allow us to refine our processes continuously. Most importantly, these improvements empower us to offer superior support to our fellows, reinforcing our commitment to their well-being and recovery. This, above all, is our ultimate goal and the accurate measure of our success.