Clinical System Integration with your Cloud-based telephony system streamlines patient communication, allowing staff to contact patients with a single click and enabling patients to self-manage their appointments, further reducing staff workload and operational costs. The integration is versatile, supporting single surgeries, Hubs, or call centre configurations where agents can handle calls for multiple surgeries. Additionally, no hardware is required to facilitate integration. 

We believe that along with all the operational benefits that Clinical Integration provides, it also supports patient empowerment and with it, patient experience. For example, patients can self-manage appointments and be introduced to patient-specific signposting — all key elements in driving better patient access to your services.

We all know that delivering a great patient experience is more critical than ever. To deliver modern general practice successfully, practices not only need to have the right tools in place, but they also need to know how to use them effectively. We’re here to help with that. 

Surgery Connect is much more than a phone system; it is the backbone of delivering better patient access. Serving upwards of 3,500 surgeries across the UK gives us unparalleled insight into how to optimise access.

Key benefits of clinical integration

Surgery Connect integrates with major clinical systems including EMIS Web, and TPP SystmOne, providing a seamless and time-saving way in which clinical and admin staff can access and record patient information during a call. Open API is also available, enabling bespoke integration with practice systems. 

Adopting clinical integration brings numerous benefits, all focused on optimising access to the practice for your patients and saving valuable time. Here are some of the benefits:

Reduced costs

A big one for all practices is the measurable reduction of operational costs. Clinical System Integration with your Cloud-based telephony system significantly lowers overall costs by minimising time spent on administrative tasks and calls. With advanced contact centre features like intelligent call queueing and routing, highly secure call recording automatically attached to patient records, confirm-and-remind systems to reduce DNAs, telephone triage, extensive reporting, and clinical system integration, Surgery Connect addresses the updated GP Contract requirements effectively.

Improving administrative efficiency

Whilst reducing costs is crucial for many practices, improving efficiencies and reducing the burden on staff is also a huge benefit. Enabling your clinical integration allows staff to: 

  • Identify patients before answering the call and seamlessly bring up their records once you have confirmed their identity
  • Enable a simple click-to-dial function, eliminating misdials
  • Provide quick and immediate access to call history and recordings
  • Offer various simple SMS options

Improving safety and compliance

Arguably, one of the most important facets of clinical integration are the improvements made to data quality and compliance. These improvements are delivered by:

  • Offering single sign-on via the clinical system using a smart card.
  • Storing call recordings directly to a patient’s record.
  • Storing video consultation recordings to the patient record.
  • Storing SMS History associated with the patient record.

Realising the benefits

Clinical integration helps minimise time spent on the phone for both patients and staff. Our pilots show that on average, 7% of all calls into a surgery are just to check or cancel an appointment. Saving 30 seconds per call accumulates to a huge 4 hours per week in staff availability, freeing them up for other tasks and duties. Imagine how many more calls you can answer!

Getting started with clinical integration

Setting up clinical integration through your Phonebar is quick and easy. Just a few simple steps, and you and your staff will be utilising the available features. If you need support in finalising the integration links, please contact the technical support team through the support portal.

Take the time to set up your clinical integration preferences around finding the patient record, when you receive a call, and how you want to file the calls and SMS messages back into the record. Once configured bespokely to your needs, the process will flow seamlessly, saving time and effort in your day.

Advanced features of the Phonebar

The Phonebar is a small but powerful desktop app that gives access to many Surgery Connect features for your staff. For call handlers and receptionists, it brings up patient records in EMIS and System One as the call arrives, providing useful information in the first few seconds of the call.

For clinicians and GPs, it allows single click-to-call from the patient record, including options for video calls, SMS messages, and requests for photographs. The Phonebar integrates with appointment lists, ensuring all communication, including call recordings, can be saved alongside the patient record.

Continual Learning and Support

To support ongoing learning and improvement, we offer various webinars and e-learning courses. These resources are designed to enhance patient experience, improve digital access, and support key features of Surgery Connect. Certificates and CPD time are available to support personal development plans.

Looking for more great tips to get the most out of your system?

The Access Optimisation Programme supports practices in maximising the benefits of Cloud-based telephony. Aligned with the Primary Care Access Recovery Plan (PCARP), the Programme helps to transform the patient experience and helps practices manage the ‘8am rush’. It covers advanced clinical system integration, softphone usage via the Phonebar, patient callback, and call routing.  It also covers management reporting, including the eight crucial NHS key metrics.

If you want to learn more, complete the contact form on our Access Optimisation Programme web page. Whether you’re a practice, an ICB, or a PCN, we’re here to help you optimise access and enhance patient care through comprehensive training opportunities. You can commit to anything from bespoke on-site training programmes, to casual lunch-and-learn sessions for convenient staff training.

Please feel free to visit our Academy for comprehensive e-learning courses to have confidence that you are completely up to date with your systems capabilities.

Thank you for your commitment to delivering exceptional patient care.

Written by, Mark Ayriss, Regional Sales Manager