We try to maximise the use of the Communications Annex across our systems. It's a brilliant and efficient way to communicate with patients and vastly cheaper and quicker than sending letters out, or calling patients.
Through a mixture of automation, prompts for staff and reports for bulk communicating with patients, our systems often increase the number of messages that practices are sending to patients.
It's helpful to understand the categories of messages our system uses and why we use them:
1) Asking patients to provide information
A major part of the "shift left" is to ask patients to take more ownership of their care and provide information for the practice. This can save appointments for the practice and patients, e.g. by submitting weight, or Blood Pressure. It can save time in appointments, so that less time is spent gathering information.
2) Asking patients to book appointments and arrange follow up
Sending invites, particularly with links to book appointments, significantly reduces incoming calls and can improve uptake for health care provision. Practices are rightly expected to make sure patients are invited for recalls, blood tests and messages are an effective way to achieve this.
3) Sending information about medication
We have prompts and automations to send messages to patients that relate to SGLT2 side effects, Teratogenic drug risks, sick day rules for patients on DAMN drugs and many others. This helps practices to be compliant with CQC requirements and to improve the care they provide for patients.
4) Improving patient awareness about their care
Examples of this type include informing patients when their prescriptions have been issued (How do I inform patients when their prescription has been issued?) and informing patients when particular blood test results have come back as satisfactory. It's not essential to inform patients of these things but it improves the patient experience and reduces calls into the practice.
It's for each practice to decide how they want to use these options. We believe this is a good use of NHS resources and improves patient care.
If practices need to reduce the bill generated from sending text messages, we've produced some articles that can help:
How should I configure my system for sending SMS?
How do I increase the use of Email and SMS?
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