The online triage and consultation tool transforming general practice View a working demo at econsult.net
This project has the rare potential to both significantly enhance the quality of healthcare provision and at the same time reduce costs. Dr David Stables, co-founder, EMIS Health The only online consultation tool developed by GPs for GPs As a practising GP, I m familiar with the challenges GPs have to face at work every day. From managing increasing patient numbers to staff shortages. It s frustrating and simply not sustainable in the long term. is live in over 300 NHS Practices Across 35 CCGs Available to 2.8million patients A We experimented with offering consultations over email, but found this difficult to manage, with no way of closing a consultation. It became clear that a secure platform was needed, one that followed a direct workflow and replicated a face-to-face consultation in a remote capacity. And with that realisation, econsult was conceived. A secure, online consultation tool, econsult offers an end to end patient journey with a clear resolution in every case. secure, online consultation tool, econsult offers an end to end patient journey with a clear resolution in every case. Designed by GPs for GPs, econsult s questionnaires capture the symptoms of over 100 clinical conditions and incorporate industry scoring measures, such as those that test for depression and anxiety. The questions responsively tailor according to the demographic of the patient, red flagging symptoms that require immediate medical intervention. Patients are also able to manage their own healthcare needs through the rich self-help content and signposting to alternative healthcare environments. Patients already use the internet to manage finances, book flights and order groceries online, so consulting with their GP online is a natural progression. In fact in pilot studies, econsult scored an overwhelming 95% in patient satisfaction, a powerful endorsement that demonstrates econsults ability to radically improve patient outcomes and paves the way for more GPs to experience the value and improved efficiency that econsult can bring to their own practices. Dr Murray Ellender MRCGP MCEM 2 3
We can t find more GPs so how can we improve patient access? econsult provides an online portal giving patients the options of self-help; signposting to pharmacy and alternative healthcare environments or 111 for minor conditions; or they can consult online with their own NHS GP through their practice website Patients access econsult via a dynamic web banner on their own GPs practice website econsult s tailored questionnaires capture the symptoms of over 100 clinical conditions econsult fits around content on your existing practice website Self-help and signposting options attempt to reduce demand on the practice YOUR PRACTICE WEBSITE YOUR PRACTICE WEBSITE Red flags alert the patient to symptoms that require immediate medical intervention Standard industry scoring systems, such as those that measure depression and anxiety are integrated into the questionnaires Patients should receive a response to their econsult by the end of the next working day Mobile compatible so econsult can be accessed anywhere on the move More than just online consultations An affordable online triage and consultation tool that improves patient access and practice efficency Patients may find the answers they need and avoid an appointment altogether Determining if a patient can receive the medical attention they need elsewhere GP devised questionnaires that red flags signs of serious illness Everyday across the UK the NHS is under mounting pressure to deliver increased access to a patient headcount that shows no sign of slowing down. Faced with 10-minute consultation times, limited resource and staff shortages, the pressure on GPs to rise to this challenge, while continuing to service their community s primary care needs, is crippling. It is acknowledged that the challenges of recruiting, training and retaining primary care clinicians will not be solved with ease or in the short term. Demand on primary care is increasing and patient confidence is decreasing. We believe providing efficiencies through online consultations will not only provide short term benefits, but also long term, sustainable change. Over a three year period NHS England has pledged to release additional funding for CCGs to invest exclusively in online consultation tools. Self-help and symptom checking Syndicated from Reliable, trustworthy information syndicated from NHS Choices Signposting to 111 or pharmacy for minor conditions Putting patients directly in touch with local alternative primary care providers with your GP Summarising a patients symptoms in one simple quickreference report 4 5
How econsult fits into your practice workflow I don t want to change the way we run our practice A significant change management process is not required, econsult has been specifically designed to slot into your existing workflow econsults completed by the patient are simply sent by secure email as a PDF attachment PATIENT The PDF summary has been carefully designed so information can be quickly understood by both admin staff and GPs System agnostic and can be attached to any clinical system Online consultation request from John Smith (Male, Age 46) for Hay fever with GP Self-help Signposting 111 clinician Email PRACTICE The risk report Our team of GPs designed over 100 Admin staff monitor shared mailbox and task econsults to clinicians No action required No action required No action required condition-based questionnaires that represent the ideal consultation for the symptoms being presented. Questionnaires are dynamically tailored to take into account a patients age, Clinicians review econsult reports gender and other demographic profiling. With integrated industry scoring, such as PHQ9 for depression and GAD7 for anxiety, the risk report generated empowers GPs to assess patients in less econsult fits straight into your usual practice workflow, and you ll be up and running in no time 20% Telephone consultation 40% Offered appointment 40% Offered prescription time than a face-to-face consultation. Allowing them to decide whether to issue a prescription on the spot. Or if they need to follow up with the patient either in person, or via a phone call. A single dynamic banner added to your practice website Unique training programme for both GPs and practice staff A suite of patient facing materials to promote econsult in your practice Signposted services uniquely tailored to your geographic location Performance monitoring with weekly reporting Continuing I.T support including platform updates and improvements Giving Commissioners on econsult patients the option of self-managing presenting conditions is definitely the way forward in terms of extending patient choice and helping to manage the increasing demand faced by our GPs. Jeanette Hucey, Associate Director of Transformation Basildon and Brentwood CCG 6 7
Patient Benefits Empowering patients Patients with restricted mobility, based in remote regions, or simply challenged for time now have a secure, and convenient way to consult with their own GP at a time that suits them, rather than having to wait for an appointment. Convenient and time saving econsult consolidates health information and advice in one reliable and trustworthy place; allowing patients to save time, and even avoid an appointment altogether, by using the self-help guides syndicated from NHS choices or signposting to local health services. Administrative services Simple administrative requests, such as fit note extensions or immunisation certificates, can be completed using econsult, negating the need for the patient to visit the practice in person. Online consultations Patients can use econsult to request an online consultation for over 100 common clinical conditions with their own practice GP. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a response usually by the end of the next working day. General Practice Benefits 2.9mins is the average time it takes to process an econsult Evolving primary care econsult improves practice efficiency by making more productive use of clinical capacity, reducing patient waiting times and resulting in fewer requests for face-to-face appointments. Increased efficiency GPs can easily complete 2 or 3 econsults in the same time it takes to do one traditional 10 minute patient consultation. Nurse practitioners are also able to process econsults, increasing opportunities for improved practice efficiency. Better health outcomes The platform provides patients with better access to their GP at a time that suits them, leading to improved health outcomes through quicker detection of symptoms and earlier medical intervention, particularly for chronic and stigma conditions. Safe practice The MDO, MDDUS and MPS have accepted online consultation as part of normal GP working and econsult has built in red-flag functionality to detect and re-direct patients who are presenting concerning or clinically urgent symptoms. Patients on econsult Technically very simple and no jargon. Quicker with no waiting. I was able to go straight to pharmacist. Highly recommend as a first port of call. 60% of patient econsults are managed remotely GPs on econsult econsult is the way forward in 21st Century patient access to primary care. Our GPs like it as it provides a time efficient and safe way to manage a wide range of patient health issues. Chris, Patient at Docklands Medical Centre, London Dr Ajit Kadirgamar Clinical Lead for The Practice + 1/3 of patients use the self-help and signposting content with 18% of users closing the journey at that point 8 9
Quantifying the claims To demonstrate econsults efficiency we asked 20 GP practices to trial the service to their cumulative 133,000 patients for a 6-month period. We provided training to practice staff, as well as all the tools needed to educate patients of econsults existence. A summary of the results of that study are shown below, a full report is available to download on our website. Only 0.63 (+VAT) per patient per annum. Within the GP Forward View scheme a discount of up to 60% and bid application support is available contact us for more details. User Satisfaction GP Outcomes Patient Findings This total includes: 95% rated their experience as excellent or good 91% said they were extremely satisfied with consulting online 78% concurred that the service had saved them time 83% were extremely likely to recommend econsult 60% of econsults closed remotely 18% of unnecessary appointments avoided 60% of econsults completed in under 3 minutes 75% of users were employed 25-44 year olds were the biggest adopters (62%) 33% accessed econsult on smartphone or tablet 9000 patients used self-help and signposting Full access to the econsult unique online consultation tool A bolt on that you can upload to your existing practice website Marketing materials and advice to help you promote econsult to your patients Complete implementation of econsult in your practice Training on how to use econsult for clinicians and practice staff 24/7 I.T support from econsults technical team Integrated site hosting for the whole contract term Entire platform functionality and free upgrades to new features Weekly analytics and performance reporting You can read the full report of this pilot study on our website by visiting www.econsult.net/casestudies Contact us econsult has already been implemented to positive effect in hundreds of NHS practices across the UK. Get in touch with us for an informal no obligation chat. Call us on: 020 3126 4407 Email us: econsult@webgp.com For more information, video guides, user testimonials and an online demo visit www.econsult.net 10 11
View a working demo at econsult.net Email us: econsult@webgp.com Call us: 020 3126 4407