01.10.14
Technology to cope with demand on GPs
Source: Bryn Sage
The NHS is clearly at the forefront of our political leaders’ minds as we head towards next year’s general election and there is no doubt that they are looking for ways to improve the care that is on offer. General practices seem to be of particular focus at the moment and, given we collectively visit local GPs 340 million times a year, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. However, it does mean that our doctors and nurses are already struggling to cope with demand – and extending opening hours or promising appointments in 48 hours is unlikely to help.
For many patients visiting a doctor’s surgery, that face-to-face visit isn’t always required. Instead of piling more pressure onto medical staff, the NHS needs to reconsider how it is delivering services.
Communication technologies have changed just about all other aspects of our lives – from shopping to banking – but the healthcare sector is yet to fully take advantage of how technology can help it provide a more efficient service. While some conditions will always require a face-to-face visit, there are many that could be just as effectively managed using self-monitoring technologies. Not only would this free-up clinicians’ time to focus on those with more urgent needs, but would also allow patients – particularly those with long-term conditions – to take more control over their health.
There is no doubt that there have been some failings where digital health is concerned in the past – but that doesn’t mean that we should hang up our digital stethoscopes just yet. We need to get behind clinical staff and provide them with the means to do their jobs as efficiently as possible, without doubling their workload overnight. Digital health does just this. What political leaders really need to pledge is a system that works for doctors and patients in equal measure, otherwise these conversations will be a recurring theme for years to come.
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Bryn Sage, CEO of Inhealthcare