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Editor’s Note:
Most of our colleagues are familiar with Mindfront Health (China), a specialized mental health brand under Luye Life Sciences Group. Mindfront Health (China) has presented excellent performance in 2020. For this month’s Luye Employee Stories, we invited Patrick McGurrin and Tian Mu to share their stories.
Patrick McGurrin-Chief Clinical Service Officer, Mental Health Department, Mindfront Health (China)
With more than 25 years of international experience in the field of mental health, he has long held important positions in clinical and hospital management. He has served in well-known psychological service institutions in Australia and Ireland, and held clinical and senior management positions in Healthe Care in Australia. He is the current Chief Clinical Service Officer of Mental Health Department of Mindfront Health.
Tian Mu- Deputy Director of Strategic Management, Mindfront Health (China)
Bachelor of Clinical Medicine and Master of Hospital Administration from the University of Washington. After returning to China, Tian Mu has worked in United Family Healthcare, Jiahui Health and other international medical institutions. She has 9 years of experience in hospital operation management, quality management and strategic planning. Mu currently serves as Deputy Director of Strategic Management of Mindfront Health (China).
Q:Thank you Mu and Patrick for taking this interview, to start with, can you give us a brief introduction about your role with Mindfront Health and the business progress.
Mu: I'm the head of strategy management for Mindfront Health. I'm in charge of strategic business, business plan, and market insights and strategic collaboration. So far, we have made very good progress. Later, Patrick can comment or add on a lot of those. Currently we have two facilities in operation. We expect to have another three new facilities to be opened in China this year.
In terms of my field of work, we have made very significant progress last year in 2020. We have achieved strategic collaboration with Shanghai Mental Health Center, which is one of the top public medical centers. Right now, we're following up to make the collaboration more in-depth. And right now, we are in conversation with 4 subspecialty leaders, which are top fingers in the subspecialty areas in China, and have achieved fruitful results. After Chinese New Year, we will conduct further collaboration in multi-sited license, two-way referral and scientific training.
Signing ceremony between Mindfront Health China and Shanghai Mental Health Center
Patrick: My official title is the Chief Clinical Services Officer of mental health for China. My overall responsibility is for the transfer of Healthe Care Australia Group programs and other clinical care materials, and provided by direction on the setting of mental health services. And the delivery model of mental health care based on my Australian experience. I come from a background originally of nursing, but the last 15 years, I worked in an executive role within Healthe Care hospitals.
Obviously, COVID-19 travel restrictions have been a major problem for both Healthe Care and Mindfront. The achievement has been, the transfer of group program material and the adaptation of those programs to the local setting. There's been a comprehensive training program delivered on group facilitation. There's been quite a lot of work on the nursing models and the development of nursing practice and training programs. In terms of the medical sides, we are also working on the psychiatrists and developing programs.
There's been quite a lot of progress made despite the obstacles placed in our way because of the COVID. I think now it's a matter of just doing some adaptations and we're ready to start our first service in Xi'an and in Shanghai.
Q: It's very glad to hear that we have achieved a lot on both sides. And the since you have mentioned about program transfers, could you please introduce about the characteristics and strengths of Australia's mental health care service system, especially with the evidence-based treatment and as well as the integrated medical service system?
Patrick: Mental health care in Australia, there was a defining moment in the early 90s, where the government set out a strategy to change the delivery of services. They started to close the traditional standalone mental health services. As key part of their first 5-year-plan, which have been updated every 5 years was making mental health mainstream. This meant that a patient with a mental health illness is treated no different than other person needing treatment for an illness.
The defining parts of mental health in Australia and within Healthe Care is that there is standardized care. It's evidence-based in all settings with evidence of outcomes, there is a strong consumer and family /carer involvement the patient is very much involved in decision made about their treatment and family members are included in this decision making if the patient agrees to this. Patient and family /carer involvement isn't just limited to the treatment setting, as mental health services are also encouraged to seek patient and family /carer input into the design of mental health services to make sure that they're consumer-friendly. The accreditation standards for mental health services in both public and private hospitals are exactly the same as every other health service. There is a very clear-defined expectation, within the standards that staff are not just appointed, but services must have training programs and keep their skills up to date at all times. So that's the essence of how Healthe Care has been run as regards service delivery. That is the model that we're transferring across to Mindfront, because it's a consistent with mental health right across Australia.
Belmont Private Hospital under Healthe Care, the largest private acute mental health service provider in Queensland of Australia
But the key thing in the last 5 years has been the efforts to destigmatize mental health. In particular, it's now normalized to talk about depression, anxiety, trauma. I think my experience with it has been that there's a great acknowledgement of the patient need, and a great acknowledgement that the patient has an expectation of care, and services you must meet that expectation. That ensures much better outcomes.
Q: Could you please specify with some patient stories regarding the benefits?
Patrick: My most recent experience would have been in a Healthe Care service was in the setting up of new services. What I saw were patients who previously only had access to the public system. The difference when they moved into the private setting was the continuity of care and the evaluation of care. The patient also knew what to expect. They got consistency in the treatment with the staff and the quality of the type of care delivered was consistent with the patient's needs. What happened over time is the patient begins to appear less often in the service, as their mental health improved.
The patient can then go back to their home and be followed up in the community by their physician. It also means that their home environment can become more structured. And their physical wellness improves with that as well and need for readmission has become less, the key things as regards mental health is understanding, not just the mental health needs of the patient, but actually the medical needs, and having services that are targeted to address both of these needs.
Q: Talking about the strengths of Australia's mental health care system, my next question is for Mu. What do you think the purpose of transferring such system to China or if we put it in another word, why do you think it's a fit for the Chinese market?
Mu: I think the reason why we want to transfer Australian treatment system as Patrick just mentioned, Healthe Care in Australia can provide high quality evidence-based and compassionate care to patients. I think we can go back to why we want to do this. Because we want really to bring what we have seen in Australia to benefit patients in China. In China, public hospital are the major providers for the mental health services. But due to limit of resources, they put a lot of emphasis in the very severe or acute conditions.
That's why there are still a big group of people may not be fall into that criteria for those with mild to moderate conditions. They cannot get high quality care or they have to wait a very long time. And when they get to see a psychologist or a psychiatry, they can get very little time. There are a lot of unmet needs, as Patrick mentioned, because in Australia, so it's very denormalized and destigmatized But in China, for public hospitals, even for healthcare professionals they still have bias and stigma.
Back to 2 years ago when we visit Healthe Care, we saw the level of care, and also heard about the stories, the patient benefit from the care. For example, patients with postnatal depression recovered well.
And when we look at the China market from the business point of view, we think it is a scarce service in China. That is why we want to transfer the Australian model to China. But obviously, we understand there are huge differences between both systems. Talking about why do we think it's a fit for Chinese market? At first, we also have this question. We need to understand why it is a fit, what's the difference, how we can make it a fit to the Chinese market? Based on our analysis, we understand of course, there are differences and we need to adapt. That's why it's called a transfer rather than direct implementation.
Q: Talking about the challenge during the process, what is the biggest challenge and how do you solve it?
Mu: Yeah, of course there are many challenges. Because we have different regulatory environment, payment system, reimbursement system, healthcare, and professional education system, and different culture background. In order to overcome this challenge, it's very important to understand Healthe Care model: why it is designed, what's the care model, different roles, the essence of the treatment model. Then we need to understand the China market or Chinese patient, the reimbursement model or what's the challenge? What's the reason behind the challenge? Then we can understand what we can leverage and implement in China. By understanding the difference, we can do the transfer and localization more effectively.
Q: Patrick, Mu has mentioned about some unmet needs in China. From your perspective, how can we use the advanced technology and system in Australia to really benefit the Chinese patients? I'm just follow.
Patrick: A follow-up on Mu’s opinion, one of the challenges with the public system is the sheer demand for the services, and that's the same in Australia as well. They are really focused on these very acute type patients. But high prevalence disorders like sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, tend not to get easy access into these services. One of the problems with the managing these acute patients is the patient doesn't get enough time in treatment. Their admissions are often shorter, and this can be counterproductive. The patient often keeps re- appearing for admission, and this can be debilitating.
There are significant challenges and I think Mu has truly outline some of those challenges. But really our aim is not just transferring Healthe Care material, it is actually more about transferring and adapting them to the local environment.
There are challenges in that, but I would argue that at the end of the day, the patient need is still the same in both countries. Somebody with a mental health disorder still has to try and make their way through an often very challenging environment. When you first are admitted to a mental health service, either here or in China, it's it can be very daunting. And that itself create huge anxieties and challenges for patients and can disrupt and delay treatment.
But I think the key thing that I'm seeing happen is that the model that's been developed in Mindfront is very patient-friendly. One of the key needs of any patient coming into mental health service is not the expectation that they will get good care. They need to feel they are in a safe environment. If a patient feels safe, not just with the staff, but with the environment, their recovery is going to be much quicker. You get much better outcomes. As a private business, your reputation is built on your outcomes and your service delivery. I think once this starts to develop within the Chinese market, the word will spread, and that is good for the business side. We need to be honest about this, which is about a business as well as a health care model and you have to balance. If you try and shift too much towards the care, you might compromise your business side. If you try to focus too much on the business side, you might damage your reputation. There's a good balance between both, I think that's one of the challenges is finding that balance. What I see is the Mindfront patient-centered approach which is the right approach from the start part.
Mu: I agree with Patrick, I think by the end of day, patients are the same and also the principles of caring and treatment. The care model is internationally recognized. I want to elaborate on some very specific challenges. When we talk about transferring Australian model, there are different perspectives to be considered. One is transferring the business model, the transfer of business model is very different, because in Australia, it's driven by health fund and private insurance. But in China, at least in the short term, it is still based on self-pay.
The second is transferring the operation model. So that's again, very different. For example, referral from GP will be a very significant marketing or getting more business in the Australian model. But in China, we don't have the GP referral system, then we need to think about how to get your patient, how to get your business. We work with schools, enterprises, public centers to explore and test how this would work.
The third one is transfer with the care model or human model. Patrick is leading the medical team and they have done a fantastic job. For example, the transfer of treatment program to China. This is a sophisticated and complicated process: languages are different, the culture, the context is different. But I think we can work as a team and make it work.
Group photo of Mindfront Health China, photo taken on Christmas Day of 2019
Q: Patrick, since this is your first time to get involved in a China-Australia project? As the lead of the medical team, how do you feel about participating such project, especially in regard to a cross culture communication team with team members from both China and Australia.
Patrick: I guess the biggest challenge by far is just simply the language barrier. But I'm very fortunate and there are lot of English speakers in Mindfront. I realized that when I was in Shanghai, the public transport system is absolutely fantastic, so there's no problem getting around. The social media networks are all now pretty standardized. I'm am familiar with the food, again lots of local and international choices. I realized that language was a single biggest barrier, because if you understand language, you can adapt. But what's been superb has being the translation services, and that has allowed me to communicate around the design models we need.
But what I'm also beginning to learn more about is how Chinese culture works. That's not something that's easy understood because there's been thousands of years in the development. But what I sense is a lot more skills-based and capacity within the Chinese market than people realize. And I think it's not gonna be too difficult once we start our training programs to train up professions in China, even though the qualification systems may be different and the criteria are different. The actual knowledge base and the professionalism is of a very high standard. I think there's wonderful potential on that. Mu has already mentioned some of the challenges about culture, the adaptation of programs, the concepts are different. But one of the things that Mindfront is doing very well is targeting the diagnostic groups and bringing the right patients together, which makes it easier to treat, and makes it easy to explain what the treatment intent is and what is the expected outcome.
So that would take a bit of time, but I think it will happen faster than expected. And once group programs and services get up and running, the word will spread very quickly. Mu has mentioned about in Australia where the referral is to a consultant in a private hospital by the GP and there are certain benefits in that, but there are also some obstacles. It's how we manage that within Mindfront is we've quicker access in some respects to the patient that we are seeking to treat. In Australia you really have to talk with the GPs and if they are not engaged, you're not going to get patients. As Mu has said, by targeting schools and businesses, you can get direct access to the population who need the treatment. The best way to advertise your services is by word of mouth.
Q: Mu, as a young representative of the new generation, how do you feel about participating, especially taking a management role in such international project? And what's your biggest challenge so far?
Mu: First, thank you for categorize me as the young generation. Because right now there are more and more younger talents in our team, most of them are born in and after the 90s. I see a lot of good qualities in them. I feel honored to have this great opportunity to get involved in this exciting project with Patrick and colleagues from different departments. Cross culture communication is a challenge in any international projects. We are fortunate to work with senior and experienced international colleagues like Patrick. He is always there helping us to communication and coordinate, which is the key to the success of our project.
Patrick: I want to add on something which I think is very important, this collaboration is happening in the midst of COVID restrictions on travel, because the original plan was that there would be significant movement between both countries and staff to explore and understand and how to assist with the transfer and the development. But this is still happening without any of those resources and those access to those services. I think it still been done remarkably well considering how limited are the actual interface between the two sides.
Q: COVID truly caused a lot inconveniences to all businesses. Talking about this, I have a question to Mu. I remember in March we received the first newsletter from Mindfront introducing the launch of an employee campaign naming employee mental health care program, which is also a kind of care to people during this special period. Could you please talk about the objectives of launching this program?
Mu: Thank you for bringing that. We started to build up this concept in February when we were still work from home. During that time everyone were very anxious with all the negative information online, that is why we want to provide such mental health services and counseling, since we already have two clinics in Guangzhou and Xi’an, and we can utilize the resources to benefit our employees.
The launch of this program has two folds: on the one hand, mental health disease is a very common issue to a lot of people in our society. We want to provide care to the mental health of our employees and their families through such program.
On the other hand, we can take this program as an internal test run, we have plans to launch employee mental health services to external enterprises as a business. We get to understand the feedback, demands, how to optimize through internal program.
So far, we have received very positive feedback, we provide two types of services: online seminars and online counseling sessions. According to statistics, over 2000 employees have attended 5 seminars. And we provide 75 counseling sessions to either colleagues or their families. We have done a survey and the satisfaction rate is 92%. We appreciate all Luye colleagues for your support and attention. We have also received many feedbacks like how they can help us to do better. Currently we are summarizing the program, in the future we plan to optimize and provide more upgraded programs.
Overview of the program in 2019
Q: Looking forward to that. And Patrick, talking about the outbreak of pandemic, we know it has influenced the global business. And can you talk about its challenges to the Australian business during this period?
Patrick: It obviously had very dramatic effects when the outbreak really began to hit in April. Within 2 weeks, Healthe Care had made approaches to the health funds, because health funds take 80 % of the revenue. There was a lot submission made to the health funds to look at alternative means of funding in particulars around tele-health.
Within 2 weeks, they had approvals for group tele-health programs. Psychiatrists can access the individual via tele-health services and the online admission and outcome measurement review process was developed. It was implemented to ensure those these services were compliant with the new funding arrangements. There was a very strong marketing campaign to local communities and the referring groups of GPs, to advise that the patients could be referred to the tele-health programs without the need for face-to-face contact with the psychiatrist, and that the assessments could be done on tele-health.
In regards to the day-to-day face contact for group programs. There were very strict rules established about compliance with the national standards around social distancing and the PPE was made available. And all secondary entrance & exit to hospitals were sealed off, so there was only one entry and exit point to services. What has been found is that most patients in the end, once restrictions started to come down, preferred the group programs in a face-to-face model. But a lot of patients were quite happy to do the tele-health on an individual base. What was already known pre COVID is that patients who lived more than 20 km from services would rarely take up referrals to Day Programs however with the use of Telehealth and funding, patients can now access these Group Programs so distance is no longer an obstacle There is now a significant potential for growth in service delivery capacity by developing these programs. I think that's the benefit of the COVID in that is a lot of lessons learned from it. This kind of project would have taken months, or maybe years to do it. But we were forced to do it very quickly, and it's proven productive.
Q: The next question is for Patrick, what is the expectation about the development of Mindfront in China?
Patrick: I think the expectations would be is that there is developed and put in place a very high-quality mental health service that becomes internationally recognized as a high-quality service. That the service is evidence-based, and its reputation is that treatment is patient-centered, delivered in a safe environment by well-trained professionals who know how to identify and meet the patient's needs. And, that the families experience this as well not just the patient. Businesses and schools can feel that as well. We have to promote the outcomes to make sure that they understand what's been achieved and what's happening. So that would be the expectation and I think we're on track to achieve this.
Q: And the same question to Mu.
Mu: I think including Patrick, myself, and other team members, we are very excited and passionate about the mission of Mindfront. We hope to bring the high-quality mental health care to patients and be the leader of the mental health service. In 2021 I am looking forward to see our brand-new facilities in operation, because the current facility is existing facility. The new facilities are the ones we started from the design, commissioning, and completing the building.
Q: Last but not least, what is your best wish to your team members and colleagues of Luye in 2021?
Mu: We have all heard very great news from Pharma about Rykindo. I think that's really improved our momentum and morale and I hope more good news of Luye to come in 2021.
Patrick: 2021 will be a year with lot of exciting news. It's a very exciting company to be part of. But in particularly, I want to let everyone to know how easy it has been to be accepted in the Mindfront team. Because people have this sense that China is remote and different. but I feel it's very relaxed and friendly environment to work in, and I think that's where the success of Mindfront in the end will come from. My biggest wish for 2021 is that I am actually sitting in that office in Shanghai and talking to all of you in person.