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Under evaluation with potential for adoption
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ART - Advanced Referral & Triage

By Caris Marsh, psHEALTH Added 29th Jan, 2020 Updated 27th Feb, 2023

Across community and acute services, the NHS spends approximately £268 million on the management and triage of referrals. Alongside a clear need for reduction in current costs, we are finding an increased requirement for insights provided by data leading to improved decision-making for CGGs, reduced human error, more dynamic services, improved clinical triage, staff freed up to provide a better service to patients. We (psHEALTH) built ART (Advanced Referral & Triage) more than five years ago and have consistently been developing the software to improve the way organisations deliver services to effectively manage NHS referrals for the best possible patient outcomes at a lower cost.

About

Getting the right patient to the right place at the right time.

ART supports an organisation in managing incoming NHS referrals more effectively, with a focus on referral validation, triage and pathway selection for any NHS referral sent into any service (typically from GPs). Automating referral activity prior to the first appointment is managed by ART, directly connecting with existing referral pathways, software systems and automatically applying changing complex commissioning policies/guidelines.

We repeatedly review service data and feedback on benefits of the solution comparing pre-ART to post ART on:

  • Cost saving (£)
  • Improved decision-making (clinical triage)
  • Improved data capture and insights
  • Removal of waiting lists/backlogs
  • Reduced human error

Improved clinical effectiveness through data capture and insights to support reduction in GP and triaging clinician variation.

Cost saving through 80% removal of administrative workload (multiple case studies available)

Patient impact: Patients have a clear next step in their care sooner (triaged and booked into appropriate appointments more quickly, with patient choice).

Health economy: supporting outpatient/elective care transformation at a system level. ART provides clarity on demand, enables the update of new pathways/alternative care settings, and provides valuable insights across the process.

There is no behavioural change for patients or referrers. < 2 days input to ensure the design and configuration of the system is appropriate for the service from:

  • a service lead
  • a lead administrator
  • a clinician or lead triager

The ART team run and support the implementation including providing training on site as well as continued remote support.

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