Opus Business Systems / Aastra - Management in Practice profile

Use intelligent telephony options to help break out of the call volume bottleneck

As Practices scramble to gain QOF achievement points, to enhance their funding position, a telephone system that can deliver improvements in key areas, can provide a simple route to quick and cost-efficient gains. The IntelliGate range from NHS PASA approved contractor Aastra Telecom can help – as an alternative to an income generating system, funded by patients.

“I hate it when I can’t get through on the telephone – I really need to make an appointment now”

When patients call, they are looking for the quickest and easiest solution – they don’t want to be held in a queue.  Callers will often be at a low ebb, or in a state of distress, so the ability to answer their call quickly and efficiently is paramount, and recognised by the QOF for achievement points.

Surgeries can gain points through avoiding bottlenecks at busy times, enabling access throughout the day, and for providing an out-of-hours service.  All of which the IntelliGate suite of systems is designed to deliver, within standard system parameters.

The key is not to treat the telephone in isolation from other back-office systems, but as an integrated enabling tool to drive overall systems efficiencies.  And with comprehensive post-implementation staff training, these efficiencies can multiply.

At peak call times, Practices need to direct callers to someone who can help with their query - the Practice Nurse or Clinician, someone responsible for making appointments, or someone dealing with general queries or prescriptions.  SMS Alerts, to remind patients of appointments can also help to reduce queries, as well as freeing up valuable appointment time.

Each of these areas can be linked directly to the patient database, with screen-pops enabling easy access to patient records and appointment availability. Information is key, so if patients are held in a queue, then being appraised of where they are in that queue, and how long they may have to wait, can help manage their expectations and keep them calm.

“Why does it have to be so difficult to reach someone?”

Enabling access to key personnel, whether Doctors, Nurses or other medical staff, directly by telephone or via a personal mailbox, gives the patient confidence that their concerns are being treated seriously.  The IntelliGate system provides these services as standard.

“I can’t guarantee that I’ll only need to contact my surgery between 9 - 5.”

The effectiveness of a practice’s out-of-hours service is also key to patient satisfaction, and also qualification for QOF Achievement Points.  If patient options are clearly defined and instructions easy to follow, then they will go away satisfied – either to another, clearly defined source of treatment, or having left an appropriate message.

Introducing a new telephony system does not have to cost extra money and nor does it have to be funded by patients.   A well-thought-out and well-constructed system can pay for itself by the efficiencies it brings and by the extra funding consequent of those efficiencies.

The IntelliGate system is just such a system with many built-in features that are treated as extras on competitor systems.