The Patchs project, in collaboration with the University of Manchester, Salford Clinical Commissioning Group, and Manchester Health & Care Commissioning, aims to ease access to GP care for urgent cases and reduce GP waiting times. Patchs is expected to improve patient satisfaction and reduce pressure on staff – and we’re delighted to say that we’ve been awarded £1m in funding from Innovate UK, to support us in realising these goals.
Primary care is at breaking point nationally as the demand for GP appointments continues to rise, whilst under-investment continues to squeeze resources. Waiting times have risen, as have instances of patients being unable to see their GP when required. This is potentially endangering patients and putting immense pressure on GPs.
However, effective triage procedures – directing patients to the appropriate care based upon clinical needs – has the potential to improve the situation.
Presently, GP practices do not have standardised triage processes, so the approach can vary significantly between practices. Though some have adopted triage technologies, Dr Ben Brown, Wellcome Trust Fellow at the University of Manchester and practising GP, explains that “current triage technologies are generally not very sophisticated. This means that they either make a large number of incorrect triage decisions, putting patients at risk, or rely heavily on medical staff, increasing workload. Furthermore, the effectiveness of these technologies has not been rigorously evaluated.”
Patchs uses AI to analyse patient symptoms, their medical history, and a range of other factors such as weather and pollution, to determine the type and urgency of a GP appointment request. It then directs patients to the appropriate care professional. This is important, as research suggests that 27% of GP consultations are potentially avoidable, with patients better seen by another healthcare professional such as a nurse, pharmacist, or mental health worker.
“Patchs’ data-driven approach,” says CEO of Spectra Analytics (now Patchs Health), Dr Marcus Ong, “potentially allows the AI to analyse a far broader range of factors that can influence the urgency of a patient’s GP appointment request. It also means that we can tailor triage decisions for individual patients.”
Kirstine Farrer, Head of Innovation and Research at Salford CCG, adds: “Digital innovation is of utmost importance to Salford CCG, and we are keen to support projects that have the potential to improve the efficiency and quality of primary care. We are keen to assess how Patchs can help manage patient demand and reduce GP workload.”
Patchs trials are being held in Salford and Manchester over the next two years.
