GPs turn to text messaging
Published: 24 Nov 2006 08:26 GMT
Patients across the West London borough will soon receive GP appointment reminders and health information by text messages.
Ealing Primary Care Trust (PCT) is to rollout the service which will go directly to some 130,000 patients' mobile phones, following the success of two year-long pilot projects in Perivale and Northolt, London.
The service is automated and works in conjunction with the patient administration systems already used by GP's throughout the borough. So far only 22 GP surgeries have signed up out of a possible 82.
During the pilot at Hillview Surgery in Perivale, the system led to a 30 percent drop in the number of patients who miss appointments.
To receive the text messages, patients will be asked to register their mobile phone numbers at the surgeries. They can unsubscribe at any time.
The service is also expected to aid health promotion campaigns, such as invitations to receive flu jabs or to attend diabetes or asthma clinics, patient registrations and post natal clinics.
Keith Martin, Ealing PCT service development manager, said on 23 November: "Mobile patient services have proven that they are cost-effective and scalable and are, therefore, the way forward in Ealing. We have a diverse population of patients registered with GPs in the borough and many already use mobiles to run their daily lives.
"The patient care messaging is functional and secure. It improves service without adding extra work for healthcare staff and integrates seamlessly with existing systems used by GPs to book appointments and clinics."
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