An AI-powered autonomous patient triaging system has been shown to reduce GP practice waiting times by 73%.
The Groves Medical Centre, a family GP practice in Surrey and South West London, achieved unprecedented improvements to patient access, practice capacity and sustainable staff working patterns after implementing Smart Triage.
Smart Triage, developed by health technology company Rapid Health, was implemented at The Groves Medical Centre in October 2023.
The evaluation assessed the system's acceptability, implementation, effectiveness, and impact on health inequalities
The system is siad to have transformed patient access, enabling equitable and safe care based on clinical need rather than on a first-come-first-served basis.
An independent real-world evaluation, funded by Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex, one of 15 health innovation networks across England, and conducted by Unity Insights, measured the impact of autonomous patient triage between October 2023 and February 2024.
The evaluation assessed the system's acceptability, implementation, effectiveness and impact on health inequalities.
Key findings of the evaluation include:
- Patient waiting times reduced by 73%, from 11 to 3 days, for pre-bookable appointments
- The practice had 47% fewer phone calls at peak hours, with a 58% reduction in the maximum number of calls, all but eliminating the ‘8am rush’
- Same-day appointment requests fell from over 62% to 19%, significantly expanding the capacity for pre-bookable appointments
- 70% fewer patients needed a repeat appointment, having received the right care on their first visit
- 85% of appointments booked via the new system were delivered face-to-face, a 60% increase compared to the pre-implementation period
- Only 18% of all patient requests were initiated over the phone after the system was implemented versus 88% before it being implemented
- 91% of appointments were automatically allocated without staff or clinical intervention
These changes have culminated in a better overall experience for patients at The Groves Medical Centre.
GPs now spend 50% more time with each patient by moving from 10 to 15-minute appointments.
Additionally, the practice has achieved an 8% increase in the number of appointments delivered per working day without hiring additional staff.
Patients now have a wider selection of appointment slots to choose from, with an average of 61 slots available per patient appointment request.
This has resulted in a 14% reduction in patient no-shows, despite the practice already maintaining low DNA (did not attend) rates.
There’s been a significant decrease in the number of patients requiring same-day appointments and wait times have been drastically reduced
Group Manager at Groves Medical Centre, Jake Kennerson, added: “The positive outcomes we’ve seen in such a short period are a testament to the effectiveness of this innovative system.
“There’s been a significant decrease in the number of patients requiring same-day appointments and wait times have been drastically reduced.”
Kennerson added: “All of this change was achieved during the peak winter months and without any additional staff. If others were to adopt a similar approach, it could lead to transformative results for patients and the NHS as a whole.”
CEO of Rapid Health, Carmelo Insalaco, commented: “We’re really proud to see the extraordinary impact of autonomous patient triage at The Groves Medical Centre.
This is the first time a study has proven an autonomous clinical system is safe and effective in doing this process end to end
“These results reflect what we consistently observe with our customers across the country – the remarkable potential for Smart Triage to dramatically enhance patient access and choice, while solving the persistent challenges of lengthy waiting lists and disruptive morning bottlenecks.
“We look forward to further collaboration and expansion across the wider NHS to benefit more patients and healthcare providers.”
In contrast to traditional online consultation and triage tools that only collect information, Smart Triage is claimed to fully automate the patient navigation process from the initial contact with their GP practice.
Whether requesting care online, by phone, or in person, patients are guided through a series of questions based on their concerns.
With better access for patients online, call volumes are reduced and peaks in demand can be smoothed out, eventually eliminating the ‘8am rush’
The system then assesses their symptoms and directs the patient to the most suitable care, even enabling immediate self-booking into the right appointments.
This streamlined process empowers patients to access care at their convenience while relieving the practice from direct involvement in each request.
This is the first time a study has proven an autonomous clinical system is safe and effective in doing this process end to end.
This ultimately enhances and automates the Modern General Practice Access Model which was introduced by NHS England last year
By implementing the software, GP practices and Primary Care Networks (PCNs) can improve patient access, reduce workload, unlock capacity and manage patient demand more effectively.
With better access for patients online, call volumes are reduced and peaks in demand can be smoothed out, eventually eliminating the ‘8am rush’.
This ultimately enhances and automates the Modern General Practice Access Model, which was introduced by NHS England last year.
