Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust to streamline check-in process for patients

Published: 25-Jul-2014

70-95% increase in patients using self-service kiosks within two months shows potential for improved patient flow and efficiency, increased data quality, and enhanced patient experience

Jayex is enabling Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust to fast-track patient check-ins seamlessly from the entrance to the waiting area in one of the largest deployments of self-service solutions to date across Europe.

This is anticipated to streamline the trust’s one million annual outpatient encounters, while improving data quality and efficiency.

Our technology provides the potential to improve patient experience and satisfaction, reduce pressure on administrative staff, and enable managers to monitor, evaluate and respond to outpatient flow data, resulting in a more efficient, yet still highly-personalised service

The rollout of 75 self-service kiosks at 25 locations across St Mary’s, Charing Cross, Hammersmith, Queen Charlotte and Chelsea and the Western Eye hospitals follows a proof-of-concept trial last year which saw on average between 70%-80% patient adoption rates of the kiosks – with some days seeing 95%-100% adoption.

The deployment is being delivered in two phases across the hospital’s five sites. Phase one, which has already been completed, covered 11 departments and addressed 50% of outpatient activity, while phase two will target up to 15 further departments with high patient footfall across the remaining 50%.

The Jayex self-service kiosks now enable patients to check in without having to attend reception desks, by verifying their arrival using a touchscreen which is recorded into the system. They are then intuitively directed to the correct waiting area, alerting staff to their presence, before being called electronically for consultation via screens and an audio system.

Benefits of the kiosks include low check-in times – on average 55-60 seconds – resulting in an improved outpatient experience and less pressure on frontline staff, leaving administrators to provide more attention to patients with complex requirements.

Kevin Jarrold, chief information officer at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “Running busy departments does mean having queues at times, which can lead to a lot of pressure on patients and staff. Releasing capacity at the front desk was part of the strategic reasons to deploy the Jayex solution, and the excellent feedback from administrative teams to date has supported our decision. The system is easy to use and has had a significant benefit in helping them to manage patients.”

The proportion of patients using the kiosks to update their information, such as email addresses, averages 70%. The kiosks’ success in encouraging high levels of volunteered demographic data is also aimed at lessening the long-term financial implications of postal communications.

Patients will increasingly expect to be communicated with electronically over the coming years, and this technology will support us in meeting these expectations

Ease of use of the kiosks has resulted in data collections jumping from an average of two per check-in, to between eight and nine, putting the trust on track to improve patient care through improved efficiency, as outlined by the Department of Health’s Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) initiative.

Jarrold said: “We have set ourselves the goal of continuous productivity improvements, specifically tackling any queues or delays. Our priority is to streamline outpatient processes and procedures so the overall experience for the patient remains positive. Patients will increasingly expect to be communicated with electronically over the coming years, and this technology will support us in meeting these expectations.”

Vik Parekh, head of secondary care at Jayex, added: “We believe there is an increasing trend towards patient self check-ins and the trial at Imperial College Healthcare certainly confirmed this with 60%-70% of patients invited to their appointments via calling screens after checking in on arrival.

“Our technology provides the potential to improve patient experience and satisfaction, reduce pressure on administrative staff, and enable managers to monitor, evaluate and respond to outpatient flow data, resulting in a more efficient, yet still highly-personalised service.”

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