The Smart Triage system provided by UK health technology company and NHS Innovation Accelerator Fellow, Rapid Health, is already delivering the NHS Medium Term Planning Framework target for GPs, which calls for 95% of post-triage appointments to be available via the NHS App by 2028/29.
Professor Hatim Abdulhussein, chief executive, Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex, and practising GP at The Devonshire Lodge Practice, said: ‘I have observed use of Smart Triage in General Practice and it is a great example of the huge potential of AI-enabled solutions to increase NHS productivity and improve patient experience.
‘Having this technology integrated with the NHS App, supports patients to access the specific help that they need at a time that suits them, while also freeing up me and my practice colleagues' time to focus on patients in the most urgent need.'
Data from practices using Smart Triage outside of the NHS App, including an independent evaluation by Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex, part of the national Health Innovation Network, has showed:
- wait times for an appointment cut from 11 days to just 3 days on average
- 70% of patients are seen within a week
- 47% fewer phone calls at peak hours, all but eliminating the ‘8am rush'
- Average triage time of just 3½ minutes
- 26% increase in clinician satisfaction and 33% more positive patient feedback.
Carmelo Insalaco, chief executive, Rapid Health, said: ‘We're proving that the NHS's digital ambitions of improving patient convenience while increasing productivity don't have to wait until 2028. Smart Triage is helping the NHS App improve access to the NHS with real-time triage, instant booking, and genuine 24/7 access, all while releasing clinical capacity. The 8am scramble is becoming a thing of the past.'
