The GP Clinic London (GPCL online) based on Harley Street is the first independent GP clinic in the UK to provide patients with seamless navigation along the treatment pathway. By combining digital-physical medical services with e-triage, remote diagnostics, health records and hospital systems integration, accessing treatment is now streamlined and end-to-end on a single platform. This innovative service embeds the quality of renowned Harley Street practitioners with the latest health technology, providing medical services in a way that patients want.
This means that patients can now choose how they want to interact with their doctor.
It's your health - it's your choice
GPCL working In collaboration with TotalDoctor allows patients to access a full choice of GP medical services integrated with specialist care - as and when required. Immediate GP bookings are available via the new single point of access platform, or if the patient prefers they can be assessed remotely - with the doctor subsequently providing a review plus any recommendations.
Medical Director, Dr Amarjit Raindi (pictured) says that patients have become increasingly used to e-triage and the benefit of being able to have an 'asynchronous' doctor's consultation in their own time (even at work). However, Dr Raindi goes on to explain the importance of being able to provide a professional service, and that patients also expect to have subsequent access to the doctor if needed - with sufficient time to be able to assess and discuss all concerns.
With over one in ten people in the UK now on record NHS waiting lists, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get access to services - or even to speak to a GP. There are already 8 million people on waiting lists, with well over 300,000 people now waiting more than a year for treatment. With the numbers of missed cancer diagnoses, these numbers could easily double by 2025. The National Audit Office state that, "The main standard for elective care is that 92% of patients on the waiting list should start their treatment within 18 weeks of being referred to a consultant".
Alternative ways to seek appropriate levels of care are therefore now critical and the flexibility of the TotalDoctor / GPCL partnership means that patients can now get immediate and direct access to the level of care that they need.
Advent of the first functional virtual clinic and hospital
The new TotalDoctor-Doctrin system is also integrated with top UK practice management systems and this means that doctors and patients have full, secure access to all their notes. Furthermore, the information can be shared securely with other specialists in order to streamline referrals. Patients and doctors can interact with each other at any time and share information via the chat function. A full remote multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meeting can be held within the system - if required. The resulting single shared platform across primary and secondary care probably creates the first functional virtual hospital.
'Digi-physical' medicine
It seems obvious that technology should be used to improve patient care, however, there are limits - and these limits are being tested. The objective is to get the balance right so that the need for improved efficiency is not compromised by a reduction in quality care. The best expression that summarises this new approach is probably along the lines of:
"Physical where necessary. Digital where possible"
Craig Oates, Doctrin
