04.10.17
Four trusts first in England to roll out digital appointment response system
A new digital portal has been brought in to four trusts to make them the first in England to allow patients to receive and respond to appointment letters digitally.
The change will put plans to digitise the NHS outlined by Jeremy Hunt a few weeks ago into action and could potentially save millions of pounds a year.
Barnsley Hospital NHS FT, the first to introduce the mobile enabled-technology, has already seen a 40% reduction in the number of outpatient letters sent in only six months. The portal will now be rolled out across the trust.
Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and King’s College NHS FT are also in the process of rolling out the system.
The technology, delivered by Healthcare Communication sends patients a highly secure digital invite to view appointment letters, pre-assessments and supporting information on their smartphone, tablet or desktop computer.
Patients can then confirm, rebook or cancel appointments at the click of a button, or add the meeting to their digital calendar and access real-time travel maps.
The implementation of the portal has been quick, with 46% of patients in Barnsley choosing it over traditional post.
With 30-69-year-olds, the open rate is high at around 60%, although a postal letter is automatically sent to users who do not access the letter within 48 hours.
“One of the huge benefits of the portal is having the confidence and assurance that patients have received the invitation, as we get a digital receipt when it is opened,” said Barnsley’s associate director of operations for women’s, children’s, outpatients and support services, Simon Ainsworth.
“More than 90% of patients who accept the invitation access it within 24 hours. Like the rest of the NHS, we are working towards a challenging 28-day cancer diagnosis target, and we see this is part of the solution to that.”
“The potential for the portal is huge,” Ainsworth continued. “We have already recommended it to several other trusts, and we are going to roll it out everywhere that we can, including pre-assessment and surgery appointments.
“As patient uptake continues to grow, so too will cost savings. It is also freeing up staff for more real-time contact with patients. They are more available to deal with phone queries, for example.”
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