Onecom's Head of Business Solutions, Paul Nocivelli, has penned an insightful article on revolutionising patient communication through cutting-edge GP telephony for the latest edition of Open Access Government.
In navigating the digital transformation journey, sectors across the board are leveraging communication technologies to redefine their operational landscape. This evolution, especially pronounced within the realms of public service, brings to light the increasingly critical role of innovative telephony and communication solutions.
As industries pivot towards more efficient, secure, and flexible systems, the healthcare sector finds itself at a crossroads. Here, the challenge is not merely technological advancement but enhancing patient experiences and operational resilience in the face of unprecedented demand.
NHS England highlights that “an average-sized practice of 10,000 patients often receives more than 100 calls in the first hour of every Monday”, leading to prolonged waiting times for patients and extensive use of practice resources.
Enter the NHS Better Purchasing Framework (BPf), a strategic initiative designed by the NHS to usher UK general practices into the new age of digital telephony. The BPf plays a crucial role in implementing the telephony transformations required of the healthcare sector – a transition underscored by the urgent need to enhance patient experiences and practice resilience and safety.
Beyond the widely acknowledged frustration of long wait times, several other challenges underscore the urgency for advanced telephony within the healthcare industry. Accessibility issues often deter patients from receiving timely care, exacerbating health outcomes. The lack of personalised interaction in the existing telephony systems hampers the ability of GPs to provide tailored care, leaving patients feeling undervalued and overlooked.
Moreover, the absence of integrated patient record systems places a significant administrative burden on healthcare staff, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors in patient care. These challenges, combined with the escalating demand for GP services, underscore the pressing need for a transformative solution to navigate the complexities of modern healthcare communication.
Onecom, the UK’s largest independent telecommunications and cloud provider, has developed a groundbreaking solution to address the complex challenges within the healthcare industry. Recognised as an approved member of the NHS BPf, Onecom introduces “Care Connect”, a pioneering telephony solution aimed at transforming patient-practice communication.
Care Connect is not merely designed to reduce wait times; it targets the root causes of inefficiency, and the inherent limitations present in existing GP telephony systems. This innovative approach promises to revolutionise how healthcare providers interact with their patients, offering a more streamlined and effective communication channel.
Deployable at any scale, from individual users to vast health networks, Care Connect showcases remarkable flexibility and adaptability. Scalability can vary anywhere from one user to thousands and from a simple telephony configuration all the way up to highly advanced contact centre systems that can handle direct calls based on skill set, CLI ranges, and even caller sentiments.
Built on Onecom’s Vox cloud telephony platform, it underlines our commitment to delivering not just a telephony system but a comprehensive communication suite that embraces multimedia functionalities like video and chat, setting a new standard for patient-practitioner communication.
The significance of Care Connect is that it represents a forward-thinking approach to anticipating the needs of tomorrow’s healthcare landscape. By providing a versatile platform that responds to both patient and administrative needs, Onecom is setting a new benchmark in healthcare communication, ensuring that GP practices are equipped to meet the evolving demands of their patients and the broader healthcare ecosystem.
Onecom’s expertise spans across the entire public sector, owing to its strategic alignments with key procurement frameworks, including the Crown Commercial Service’s “Network Services 3” and “G-Cloud 13”.
This unique positioning enables Onecom to offer a diverse array of communication and connectivity solutions that go beyond conventional boundaries. From spearheading smart city initiatives to integrating cutting- edge IoT technologies, Onecom leverages these frameworks to comprehensively meet the varied needs of the public sector – whether it’s supporting central government functions, empowering charities, enhancing the housing sector, or bolstering health services.
Onecom is an approved Crown Commercial Service supplier in four key areas of critical business communications technology:
Through Care Connect, Onecom embodies a commitment that transcends the mere integration of advanced technology; it champions a profound dedication to reshaping patient care and improving the administrative efficiency of GP practices. This ambition is grounded in alignment with vital procurement frameworks such as the NHS Better Purchasing Framework (BPf), showcasing Onecom’s capacity and steadfastness in delivering solutions that not only meet but surpass the healthcare sector’s expectations.
Find the entire Open Access Government edition here.