Context
A GP practice, with a list size of 12,500 patients and a full team including eight Partners, practice nurses, health care assistants, and a busy reception team, needed to free up space. The partners considered options such as building an extension to house their Lloyd George records, but this was costly and inefficient.
Challenge
Access to consulting rooms was limited due to the layout of the building, complicating patient access and the use of certain consulting rooms. Their storage space was filled to capacity, leading to delays in accessing patient records and the storage problem was exacerbated by an influx of new patient records whose files were much larger than average, due to a significant amount of printed paper records from previous practices. The concept of outsourcing storage of their patient records was a tough decision as confidentiality and security were paramount.
Solution
The GP practice chose OASIS to manage their physical records more effectively. Records were stored in one of our secure storage facilities, equipped to the highest standards and fully complying with ISO and IG accreditation requirements while ensuring they could be quickly and easily retrieved. We provided a scan-on-demand service, collecting and digitising the practice’s delivery notes daily and providing access through a secure portal.
Outcome
The GP practice successfully transitioned to the new records management process quickly, allowing them to convert the previously occupied storage space into a new office for medical secretaries, an additional clinical room for a nurse practitioner and they were also able to install a patient lift to solve the accessibility problem. The scan-on-demand service not only provided a more efficient experience for practice staff and patients, but it also delivered significant cost savings by reducing photocopying. Overall, the project has delivered enhanced security, faster access to records, and most importantly, an improvement in patient care for the Practice.