NHS e-Referral Service

Linked Appointments Patient and User Journey: The Vision …….

1 Patient receives booking instructions

Following his referral for a cardiology outpatient appointment and pre-requisite Exercise ECG, Mick receives a link to booking instructions via his smartphone. He logs on and sees the three hospitals that he and his GP, Dr Singh, previously shortlisted.

Linked Appointments

2 Patient selects hospital and books appointment

Mick and his wife compare the online information available about the three hospitals and select the one with the lowest appointment cancellation rate. They book a convenient cardiology appointment and the system then prompts them to book the linked Exercise ECG. Only those appointments available prior to the cardiology consultation are shown, which will allow the results to be available to the cardiologist in time for the appointment. Mick books both appointments.

Linked Appointments

3 Consultant requests additional test

Dr Ataullah, the cardiologist, reviews the clinical referral information, via the NHS e-Referral Service and agrees that, although the referral is appropriate for his clinic, an Echocardiogram would also be useful beforehand. He records an instruction for his clinical administrator, Andy, to arrange this.

Linked Appointments

4 Administrator creates linked referral

Andy picks up the instruction on the administrator worklist and creates the Echocardiogram referral, on behalf of Dr Ataullah, which he links to the cardiology referral. Andy contacts Mick and explains that the consultant requires a further test before he is seen in the clinic.

Linked Appointments

5 Patient agrees appointments

Andy offers to book the soonest Echocardiogram appointment, but the system tells him that the date they are trying to book is after the appointment with Dr Ataullah. Mick is happy to change the consultant appointment to fit in with the Echocardiogram, which Andy books. Andy also rearranges the Exercise ECG to take place on the same day, prior to the consultation. Finally, Andy uploads all the referral information to the hospital clinical system.

Linked Appointments

6 Patient attends consultant appointment

Mick attends his appointment with Dr Ataullah, who has the Exercise ECG and Echocardiogram results available. Based on his clinical findings, he recommends a Coronary Artery Angiogram. Mick is provided with details of how to book this procedure online.

Linked Appointments

How can YOU get involved?

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Take part in the consultation at: www.hscic.gov.uk/ers

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Contact us on email: [email protected]

NHS e-Referral Service vision – making paperless referrals a reality