Improving the patient experience

Marketing general

Improving the patient experience

Background and Challenge

Park View Surgery supports over 6,150 patients, providing Primary Care for Milnthorpe Cumbria and the surrounding area. The surgery was keen to utilise reception staff to maximise the patient experience. A recent study highlighted the emotionally demanding challenges faced by reception staff in all GP practices and Park View Surgery is no exception.

1The front of house staff manage all incoming calls during peak periods, attend to patients who are at the Surgery, incoming letters and ongoing referrals, samples, repeat prescriptions and updating records. Park View Surgery was keen to increase efficiencies and reduce the pressure on administrative staff.

Response

Park View Surgery used the myGP® platform to help them not only improve the patient experience but to transform the way the practice interacts with its patient population.By using the myGP platform, Park View Surgery was able to offer:

• Quicker communication as the practice can send 1,800 appointment reminders monthly via the myGP app or SMS

• Improved management of appointment types Over 1,000 appointments a month are available on-line via the myGP app. The practice is able to set up appointments by slot type for example blood test meaning less burden on administrative staff

• Increased time savings, by setting up SMS templates, staff are able to quickly send uniform messages to patients which automatically Read Code into the clinical system

• Improved efficiency, as the myGP platform can be used by all staff, the resident pharmacist is able to send SMS/data messages to patients regarding their medication rather than relaying the information to reception staff

Outcomes

These small changes combined with the installation of interactive check-in kiosks has resulted in:

• Calls to the Surgery reduced by between 7%-10% as 29% of patients are actively using myGP

• 13 hours of administration time were saved during a 3-month period

• Manpower was able to be re-allocated, allowing administrative staff to concentrate on other non-patient-centric tasks such as stock checks and supplies

‘’’This is an excellent practice that has been innovative in the way it delivers services. For example, there was a strong focus on continuous learning and practice such as a remote blood pressure monitoring via text message. Importantly, the surgery was sharing what they did with other local practices.

Feedback from both patients and the CQC has been positive:

This is an excellent practice that has been innovative in the way it delivers services. For example, there was a strong focus on continuous learning and practice such as a remote blood pressure monitoring via text message. Importantly, the surgery was sharing what they did with other local practices.

Alison Holbourn, CQC’s deputy chief inspector

2 . Alison Holbourn, CQC’s deputy chief inspector of General Practice in the NorthPark View Surgery used the myGP platform to help them not only improve the patient experience but to transform the way the practice interacts with its patient population.

1. Dr Ward, a senior lecturer at York University, and Dr Robert McMurray from Durham University were embedded with surgery receptionists for a three-year period2. https://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/15035158.regulator-heaps-the-praise-on-south-lakeland-gp-surgery/3. https://www.iwantgreatcare.org/gpsurgeries/park-view-surgery‘‘’’Excellent service3‘‘’’

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