Tavistock and Portman deploys DrDoctor technology to transform waitlist management

The Tavistock and Portman will soon launch a new patient portal with a key focus on waitlist management.

Michael Holland CEO at the Tavistock and Portman said: “We’re the first mental health trust in the country to launch a Patient Portal so we are a trailblazer in the use of this digital technology. We will be integrating the portal with the NHS App to provide seamless access for those patients who already use the App for their GP record. We will be enabling the management of patient appointments, virtual consultations over video, the delivery of letters, explainer videos and clinical assessments over the platform”.

The launch of the Patient Portal for the Gender Identity Clinic (GIC) is coming soon with an aim to provide the portal to other Trust services in 2025.

DrDoctor, the UK’s leading patient engagement platform (PEP) supplier and the Tavistock and Portman plan to empower operational and clinical teams to manage and scale hybrid patient pathways within the trust.

The partnership – which will see DrDoctor’s Patient Engagement Platform (PEP) integrate with CareNotes Electronic Patient Record (EPR) – will initially be rolled out in the Gender Identity Clinic – with the view of extending long-term into other departments within the hospital to ensure service users are getting the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

As part of the roll out, Tavistock and Portman will introduce a wide range of DrDoctor’s non-integrated products within its technology stack. Initially, this will focus on patient engagement tools including Broadcast Message and Quick Question.

Integrating the Broadcast Message tool will enable Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust to send SMS messages to up to 10,000 service users at once, in less than 15 minutes – communicating critical updates at speed, whilst improving operational efficiencies.  Whilst the  Quick Question tool – which has been proven to reduce waitlists by 12% – will enable  the Trust to ask thousands of service users a simple question such as ‘are you still planning to attend your appointment’  designed to help gather information that facilitates better waitlist management.

As part of the partnership, to support the trust in triaging patients at greater speed, DrDoctor’s notifications and messaging (N&M) functionality will also be implemented, supporting the trust with basic appointment rescheduling and management to put service users onto the right pathway.

Dr James Barrett, lead clinician at the gender identity clinic at Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust said: “This Patient Portal genuinely has the potential to be a huge leap forward for patients and clinicians alike. We will be able to communicate with any patient or group of patients really quickly. It means we will soon be able to get information, opinions and options from patients pretty much in real time. We can learn exactly what would help most, and if it’s possible we will try to get that done. There’s the potential to be kept bang up to date with what’s happening with every patient, at any time. It sure will help us and I’d be willing to bet it would help any other team in the Tavistock and Portman”.

Hector Shakeel Bayayi, Managing Director at the Tavistock and Portman said: “This initiative positions us as a vanguard among mental health trusts, especially since digital solutions have not yet been fully leveraged to enhance quality, patient choice, and the improvement of waiting times for specialist services. The second phase, approximately six months post-implementation, will focus on gathering patient feedback and measuring the impact through surveys”

Founder and CEO of DrDoctor, Tom Whicher added: “We’re delighted Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust is taking the issue of waiting lists seriously and has selected our platform to revolutionise its entire patient pathway. Our tech is designed to fundamentally change the way patients access care, whilst supporting Trusts to increase efficiency and minimise inaccuracy throughout the patient journey. With ambitious plans to continue enhancing this partnership through a phased roll out of non-integrated products, from Direct Messaging to Advanced Rescheduling, we’re committed to delivering seamless hybrid healthcare to empower patients and service users along their care journey – all while strengthening our support for the NHS”. 

About DrDoctor

DrDoctor provides the UK’s leading patient engagement platform in the NHS, covering primary and secondary care across over 70 NHS trusts and health boards. Using digital appointment-booking services and video consultations, DrDoctor empowers patients to take control of their healthcare and works to improve patients’ DNA rates by up to 35 percent. Their mission is to work with their partners to understand the challenges facing their staff and deliver technology that automates routine tasks and common blockers whilst improving the quality of patient care. Founded in 2012, award-winning DrDoctor now has more than 150 employees and has booked more than 117 million appointments across NHS practices.