The digitally empowered patient: How Patient Relationship Management platforms can break the cycle of frustration

With more than seven million patients on waiting lists and over 90,000 people still experiencing 65-week wait times, linking patient data continues to be a critical goal for the overburdened NHS of today. When addressing patient queries, outpatient care centre agents frequently struggle with many systems, manual procedures and fragmented data. For the patient, this results in extended waiting times, high number of repeat calls, and increased anxiety waiting for a response.

Furthermore, inefficiencies and needless waste are perpetuated by the gap that exists between different systems, Trusts and other organisations that are associated with the healthcare process – such as social care. Too frequently, we witness patients failing to attend scheduled appointments as a result of poor communication, or patient transportation showing up even after the appointment has been cancelled. These incidents not only cost the NHS money and resources, but they also negatively affect patient outcomes and the overall experience.

Changing the pattern

Over time a vicious cycle of inconvenience and inefficiency has been created, leaving patients feeling frustrated by having to wait to have their enquiries resolved. Often, additional stress is placed on service centre agents who are facing the brunt of this. Patients are frequently passed around in the process fuelling this frustration further, whilst other requests end up in an operational black hole – remaining unresolved.

So, what is the answer?

By bringing all relevant sources of patient data together into one single view, NHS Trusts and their service centre agents can be equipped with the information they need to transform experience and efficiency within the NHS. Known as a Patient Relationship Management (PRM) system, solutions of this kind present the appropriate patient information in a meaningful way to assist with outpatient administration. Faster access to information means better response times, and a better experience for both patients and NHS staff, offering an opportunity to break the vicious cycle of patient frustration, stress for agents and operational inefficiencies.

Creating a holistic view

Having an immediate contextually relevant view of the patient when receiving an inbound enquiry can save 60 or more seconds per call – a significant time saving for outpatient service centres grappling with the waiting list backlog. This will not only create additional capacity in service centres, but can also provide a consolidation opportunity to support further service improvement and transformation initiatives in the future.

Having the right knowledge in the right place at the right time can enable better in-call decision-making meaning that outcomes and solutions can be reached quicker and easier – removing the need for follow-up calls and providing relief in what can often be a stressful scenario. It can also support the identification and eradication of operational bottlenecks and inefficiencies caused by gaps in information and communication – such as follow-up appointments not being cancelled if the original appointment or diagnostics has not taken place. Every day a growing number of appointments are going ahead unnecessarily, wasting both consultant and patient time.

Forming a more holistic view of the patient can also ensure better attendance rates for appointments that are necessary. This can be achieved by taking a closer look at patient demographics and being aware of personal situations when arranging/setting appointments initially.

Taking action

Knowledge is key when it comes to dealing with patient enquiries, however, there must also be workflows in place to turn that knowledge into action. Effectively configured workflows can enable follow-up tasks to be completed in just a few clicks, whilst the consolidation of these activities into a central view removes the need to rely on ad-hoc emails. By adding this layer of structure, service agents – and patients – can be confident that next steps are followed up on and actioned in a timely manner.

That’s where PRM systems built via low-code platforms that easily integrate with other tools and technologies such as RPA can be particularly effective. Integration of this kind can allow the automation of onward tasks for further quality, performance and efficiency improvements. Unlike traditional Enterprise CRM systems which require a long program of analysis, design, build and deployment, PRM systems built via low-code platforms, that accelerate development, can deliver immediate benefits as well as long-term improvements.

Acting now for a better future

With patient referrals continuing to run significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, the intense pressure felt by NHS service centres is unlikely to slow down anytime soon. Especially given that the NHS’s Elective Recovery Priorities focus on better patient engagement and re-focusing capacity toward new patients.

This will certainly have an impact on the agents operating on the frontline – many of whom are already at risk of burnout and dissatisfaction. Equipping these agents with the right tools and platforms to work smarter and more successfully, therefore, must be a priority.

The same can be said for patient experience, despite efforts to reduce current NHS waiting list, it is likely to be a reality we will live in for some time. Focus should be placed on ensuring that patients are waiting well, and that when they reach out they are left reassured, rather than being faced with additional stress as a result of broken and disconnected systems.

NHS Trusts need to strive for a more efficient future that emphasises enhancing the experiences of both employees and patients. This future will be built on technology, with PRM systems serving as its central component.