An independent, NHS-funded evaluation has validated the transformative impact of an innovative Smart Triage system on primary care delivery in England.
The Groves Medical Centre, a leading family GP practice in Surrey and South West London, has achieved unprecedented improvements to patient access, practice capacity and sustainable staff working patterns after implementing Smart Triage.
Smart Triage, an AI-powered autonomous patient triaging system developed by health technology company Rapid Health, was implemented at The Groves Medical Centre in October 2023.
The system has transformed patient access, enabling equitable and safe care based on clinical need rather than on a first-come-first-served basis.
Dr Andrea Fensom, GP Partner at Groves Medical Centre, said: “Smart Triage has completely changed how we work.
“It has not only optimised our resources but increased patient access.
Feedback shows that patients find it easy to use our online tool and it’s convenient for them, giving them multiple options for appointments where safe to do so and booking them with the most appropriate clinician for their problem. We are all very proud of these results.”
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, has 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 per cent, from 11 to 3 days, for pre-bookable appointments
- The practice had 47 per cent fewer phone calls at peak hours, with a 58 per cent reduction in the maximum number of calls, all but eliminating the “8am rush”
- Same-day appointment requests fell from over 62 per cent to 19 per cent, significantly expanding the capacity for pre-bookable appointments
- 70 per cent fewer patients needed a repeat appointment, having received the right care on their first visit
- 85 per cent of appointments booked via the new system were delivered face-to-face, a 60 per cent increase compared to the pre-implementation period
- Only 18 per cent of all patient requests were initiated over the phone after the system was implemented versus 88 per cent prior to it being implemented
- 91 per cent 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 per cent more time with each patient by moving from 10 to 15-minute appointments.
Additionally, the practice has achieved an 8 per cent 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 per cent reduction in patient no-shows, despite the practice already maintaining low DNA (did not attend) rates.
Jake Kennerson, Group Manager at Groves Medical Centre, said: “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 waiting times have been drastically reduced.
“All of this change was achieved during the peak winter months and without any additional staff.
Carmelo Insalaco, CEO of Rapid Health, added: “We’re really proud to see the extraordinary impact of autonomous patient triage at The Groves Medical Centre.
“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.”
