Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is FeelingBetterNow®?
FeelingBetterNow® is Canada’s only medically based and approved Website designed to assist family physicians and patients in the early diagnosis, treatment and ongoing management of mental and emotional health problems using Medical Best Practices. The College of Family Physicians of Canada has reviewed and approved FeelingBetterNow® as a practice management tool available to assist family physicians in patient care.

Q. Why do you need FeelingBetterNow®?
Identifying and managing emotional and mental health issues is one of the toughest problems faced by many individuals and their physicians. One in five Canadians currently suffers from a major mental disorder, such as depression, anxiety or substance abuse. Seventy-two percent of Canadians with a mental health problem receive no mental health care over the course of a year, but 80% of those individuals visit their family physician in the same year. Only 1 in 8 receives the right diagnosis and treatment.

We understand there are times when you may have concerns about your emotional and mental health. To address these concerns, you can access FeelingBetterNow® to help you and your physician identify emotional and mental health issues as early as possible. Getting the right diagnosis and treatment will help you feel better -- much sooner.

Q. How Does FeelingBetterNow® work?
Within 20 minutes of entering the Website, you will have a preliminary assessment of your emotional and mental health. In the event that you are at high risk for a clinical disorder, you will be provided with a set of with online tools to help you and your physician identify and treat emotional and mental health problems using Medical Best Practices. Your physician and you will receive:
     • A patient specific Risk Map indicating the severity of the condition;
     • A patient specific Care Map to assist them in the detection, treatment and follow up of your emotional and mental health problems; and
     • Follow up Maps every 3 weeks to be able to track your progress and recovery.

Q. How confidential is the FeelingBetterNow® program?
This Website is completely confidential and anonymous. You will be asked to create your own user name and password and only you will have access to your username, password and individual feedback. No one will know that you accessed FeelingBetterNow® or how you responded to the program.

Q. Why will FeelingBetterNow® help you?
One of the best kept secrets in mental health is that effective treatments for many of the most common conditions already exist. Because of the stigma associated with having an emotional and mental disorder, this information is not widely shared or discussed, leaving the impression that there is very little hope.

Research has shown that highly effective tools for diagnosis and treatment of most emotional and mental disorders are currently available. The problem is that these available tools and treatments are not always properly used. The FeelingBetterNow® website promotes correct use of the available and effective tools by both patients and physicians.

Your personal Maps will empower you with accurate knowledge about mental disorders, the nature of the difficulties you might be facing, proper treatment, and management. By providing you with Follow up Maps, which use a graph of your mental health information that is plotted over time, along with a written description, you will become more sensitive to the early onset of difficulties, appreciate the changes in your symptoms and will become more informed overall about strategies for looking after yourself.

Q. Who is Mensante Corporation?
The company behind FeelingBetterNow® is Mensante Corporation, a privately owned Canadian corporation. The company developed FeelingBetterNow® with the assistance of leading Canadian and American psychiatrists, psychologists, family physicians, a mental health economist, and work place mental health-care experts.

In 2008, the Canadian Association of Heath Informatics selected Dr. Sam Ozersky, M.D., FRCP (C), Mensante’s CEO and founder, as recipient of the 2008 Community Based Physician Innovation Award for developing FeelingBetterNow®. The award was presented by the Canadian Medical Association.

IDC, a leading international business research company, named Mensante as one of the “Top 10 Healthcare Companies to Watch in 2009”.

FeelingBetterNow® now covers over 500,000 individuals and their families across Canada through major organizations, such as, Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan, TD Bank Financial Group, Healthcare Benefit Trust, and the British Columbia Faculty of Medicine.

Q. How can I be assured of the quality of medical efficacy of FeelingBetterNow®?
The program was developed over the last five years by leading Canadian and American psychiatrists, psychologists, family physicians, a mental health economist and work place mental health care experts at Harvard University, McGill, McMaster, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Toronto.

The College of Family Physicians of Canada has reviewed and approved FeelingBetterNow® as a practice management tool available to assist family physicians in patient care.

The Ontario Medical Association and the British Columbia Faculty of Medicine have approved the program for their members’ personal use.

Q. How do I access the site?
Click “New User” and enter the access code provided by your employer, university, member organization or insurer.