Banner Health reduces generalised anxiety with digital therapeutics

Banner Health, a large nonprofit health system based in Phoenix, is addressing challenges in behavioural health through digital therapeutics. Jeff Johnson, Vice President of Innovation and Digital Business at Banner Health, highlighted the significant unmet need for behavioural health care, exacerbated by the pandemic, and the shortage of licensed clinical professionals. 

To overcome these challenges, Banner Health is using a digital therapeutic called SilverCloud, delivered through Oracle/Cerner workflows via a third-party distribution tool. The goal is to provide care for patients with mild to moderate depression and anxiety, offering a novel solution in the face of traditional capacity limitations.

Banner Health emphasises the importance of evaluating technology products thoroughly before implementation, aligning business needs with clinical requirements. The digital therapeutic addresses the need to expand care capacity without the ability to hire more full-time employees. The results indicate a reduction in generalised anxiety disorder and patient health questionnaire scores among users of SilverCloud. 

The health system is also exploring the potential cost containment benefits, analysing whether patients using digital therapeutics are less likely to seek additional care or experience reduced drug spending. Overall, Banner Health aims to improve patient care and reduce the burden on traditional behavioural health teams, leveraging digital therapeutics to meet these objectives.