Over 500 patients use new automated appointments system at Carnoustie surgery
An automated appointments phone system for patients at a GPs' surgery in Carnoustie has logged over 500 calls in the first few weeks of implementation, as patients find alternative ways of booking appointments with their doctor. Parkview Primary Care Centre, which has over 12,700 residents on its list, installed the system, known as Patient Partner in May this year as a way of improving access and communication for their patients.
People who want to book, cancel or review their appointments can access the system 24 hours a day by simply calling the surgery and giving their date of birth and telephone number. Patient Partner is then able to detect spaces in the doctors' diaries and allows the patient to choose the appointment time which best suits them by pressing a button on their touch tone phone.
The system was installed by IT and Telecommunications Specialists, Digital IP who are based in Glasgow, with branch offices throughout Scotland. They are currently the only provider of this specialist technology in Scotland and project manage the complete process.
Managing Director, Keith Inch says "Patient Partner allows you to phone your doctors surgery at any time of day or night to arrange, change or cancel your appointment. This means that your surgery fits around your schedule as opposed to you having to plan around theirs. This is the first installation in Scotland of Patient Partner and we are delighted with the benefits it has given to Parkview Medical Care Centre. We look forward to more practices embracing this technology throughout Scotland."
"We have found that using an automated system has considerably eased the pressure on our receptionists as not all calls have to come through the switchboard. This reduces queuing and engaged calls for patients," comments Jean King, Business Manager at the surgery. "Despite the number of lines coming into our reception, our phones can be blocked at busy times of day so the system gives our patients more flexibility in when they can call. We are pleased with the take up so far and would encourage anyone who hasn't yet tried using the service to give it a go."
Poor patient access and appointment availability has been highlighted in recent years as a national problem. The Patient Partner system was specially designed to address this issue and has been installed at over 400 surgeries across the UK. The cost of using Patient Partner is exactly the same as a standard phone call - and may even cost less as patients are able to call at off peak times.
Contacts
Jean King, Parkview Primary Care Centre, Carnoustie 01241 859888
Lorraine Currie PR contact, Digital IP 0141 551 1037
Posted: December 2010