Intouch with Health launches Virtual Clinics

Intouch with Health is thrilled to announce the launch of the latest addition to the Intouch with Health Patient Journey Platform – Virtual Clinics.

Integrating the management of virtual patients alongside physical patients

Virtual Clinics supports NHS Trusts and healthcare organisations to deploy a best-of-breed video consultations solution and integrate it into the hospital EPR / PAS, enabling virtual patients to be managed from check-in to outcome, alongside patients physically attending the hospital.

Using Virtual Clinics, virtual patients can be managed and flowed as efficiently as patients within the hospital - from authenticated check-in to digital outcomes. More than simply a video call solution, Virtual Clinics also supports long-term care management practises by supporting hospitals proactively manage patients in their homes.

By supporting patients in their homes, clinicians will be able to manage their increasing caseloads in a more efficient and effective manner and begin to reduce the number of face-to-face Outpatient appointments (in-line with the commitment in the NHS Long Term Plan to reduce face-to-face Outpatients appointments by up to a third by 2024).

Phased deployment - a practical approach to integration

Deployed in three controlled phases, Virtual Clinics connects clinicians and patients virtually, removing the requirement for patients to attend hospital for their clinic appointment / consultation. Virtual Clinics is deployed in phases in order to enable the hospital to realise the immediate benefits of video consultations, while taking a practical approach to current resource constraints across the NHS. Phases two and three will be deployed at an agreed, appropriate time when the hospital has the available resources to facilitate full integration.

Phase One | Video Consultations

A video consultation solution from the Intouch eco-system of approved partners is deployed enabling immediate video communication with patients.

Clinicians and patients are able to connect virtually, removing the requirement for the patient to attend hospital. Patients benefit from greater convenience - they avoid the time and expense of travelling to hospital and avoid unnecessary time off work / extra child care that is often required when attending hospital. Hospitals benefit from a reduction in missed appointments as virtual appointments are more convenient for patients to attend. Hospitals also benefit from a reduction of staff and clinic room requirements as clinicians can participate in sessions without occupying a specific clinical spaces.

Phase one is deployed at pace (often in just a few days) with minimal set-up or training required. Remote deployment is available (providing the Trust’s IT infrastructure meets the solution’s minimum requirements).

Phase Two | Full Integration

Combines the phase one video solution with the Intouch Platform and hospital PAS to create a fully integrated solution with automated, authenticated check-in including demographic checks.

Phase two will be initiated when the Trust has the available resources to facilitate a full integration. The check-in service authenticates patients and flows them into virtual waiting rooms – requiring no reception or admin resources while improving security as only authorised patients can check-in. Clinicians will continue to use Flow Manager to manage all patients, with virtual patients identified via a ‘virtual’ icon. Appointment outcomes can be completed digitally with actions, including scheduling follow-up appointments.

Phase Three | Long-Term Care Management

Supports clinicians to manage the ever-increasing population and caseload demands by proactively managing patients in their homes, reducing pressure on front-line clinicians and hospital resources.

Clinicians will be able to manage their increasing caseloads in a more efficient and effective manner – from illness to clinical service to demographic support technology.  Hospitals will be able to proactively support patients remotely, only scheduling face-to-face appointments when required and at the appropriate time. Effective long-term care management helps reduce pressure on front-line staff and supports a reduction in waiting lists.

Virtual Clinics - the future-proof, integrated virtual consultation solution

Virtual Clinics is the future-proof virtual consultation solution designed to be more than a video communication tool. Offering full integration, authenticated patient check-in and long-term care management, Virtual Clinics is the complete, long-term virtual consultation solution.

 For further information on Virtual Clinics, please contact the team on info@intouchwithhealth.co.uk

Virtual Clinics from Intouch with Health