Presenter Slides - Jonathan Patrick, Consultant Connect
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Consultant Connect is a service that allows GPs to call local hospital consultants for advice and guidance on patient cases via telephone or mobile app. The average wait time for a call is 40 seconds and average call duration is 3 minutes 40 seconds. The service aims to avoid unnecessary patient visits to hospitals and clinics by allowing GPs to get expert advice. An evaluation found the service improved communication between GPs and consultants, enhanced clinicians' knowledge, and avoided 75% of elective patient visits and 31% of urgent visits at one early adopter hospital, resulting in estimated annual savings of £525k-£675k. The service has now expanded nationwide and handles over 16 million patients across the UK.
Presenter Slides - Jonathan Patrick, Consultant Connect
- 1. “It’s good to talk” How improving communications between GPs and consultants improves healthcare Jonathan Patrick July 2018 One St Aldates, Oxford OX1 1DE T: 01865 261467 E: info@consultantconnect.org.uk
- 2. GP calls local number or uses the CC app GP chooses specialty GP put through to first consultant to answer (average c. 40s wait) Outcome of the call is ranked by GP / consultant Conversation is recorded (average duration c. 3min 40s) Consultant Connect works by “tele-hunting” an available specialty consultant and saving a recording of the Advice and Guidance offered What is Consultant Connect?
- 3. Our first project was a doozy! • Colchester Hospital University NHS FT • Placed into special measures in 2013 • We were approached in May 2015 by Northeast Essex CCG • “We need to try anything and everything” • Project launched June 29th 2015 • First call shortly after 9am to Diabetes and Endocrinology • “Referral Avoided” • Project has now expanded to include 11 elective specialties, 2 urgent specialties • CHUFT removed from special measures in November 2017
- 4. • 75% of calls to elective specialties have avoided a patient visit to hospital • 31% of calls to urgent specialties have avoided a patient visit to hospital • Financial savings of £525k- £675k per annum Launched Jun 2015 QIPP Case Study by NHS England
- 5. Does Consultant Connect improve the way GPs work with hospital consultants? Is Consultant Connect good for healthcare in Colchester and NE Essex? Do you like Consultant Connect? 100% of GP and consultant respondents said “yes” • 88% of respondents have used Consultant Connect • 100% of users said Consultant Connect has had “a positive impact” on their work • 100% of users felt that using Consultant Connect had “enhanced their knowledge” • 60% of users had called during a patient consultation and felt that the patient had appreciated the input of a consultant GPs 25 responses / c. 200 • 92% of respondents have answered a call • 100% of respondents who had answered said they believed that their input had “improved the quality of care provided to the patient” • “Most calls avoid referral and give the patient the correct management now, rather than waiting 8 weeks or more for an appointment” Consultants 12 responses / 21 Clinicians were positive after 3 months
- 6. Since Colchester started we have spread our wings Coverage Performance Whole System Efficiency 16,000,000 53 25 Patients covered CCG areas Specialties covered 70%-80% 0:43 3:40 Call pickup rate Av connection time Av call duration (m:s)(m:s) >60% Calls that avoid an unnecessary patient visit to hospital / A&E (average nationally as ranked by GPs)
- 7. Source: Luton CCG “76% of patients avoid A&E and 7.5% of patients are avoiding hospital altogether” Luton & Dunstable Hospital currently taking over 500 calls per month Launched Dec 2015 Luton & Dunstable use it to avoid A&E attendances
- 8. “Since the introduction of the system a clear reduction in GP referrals to the local ED has occurred” Admission avoidance is 53%. The remaining 47% of patients were admitted more smoothly. Launched Oct 2016 Sunderland (NHS Elect Report)
- 9. Phone (direct to mobile/dd) Photo Messaging (IG-compliant) Writing (Historical options) Consultant Connect PhotoSAF, Messaging ERS/Email/Letter Our new product gives clinicians an additional option