What was the problem?

Attendance – Urgent care visits rising, causing significant delays in meeting triage time targets

Patients – Patient experience was poor, with many facing overcrowding and long wait times.

Staff – Staff feeling overwhelmed and experiencing abuse from frustrated patients.

Demand – Workload not managed effectively, leading to spikes in demand.

Services – Efforts to direct patients to correct services obstructed by inefficient referral process.

Patient Flow

What is the Streaming & Redirection Product?

  • Patient facing digital front door triage tool
  • Commissioned by NHS England for ED/UTC’s
  • Live since Jan 2021
  • Over 1 million patients triaged
  • Accredited medical device

Why Digital?

  • Quick initial assessment. Average assessment time 2min 60sec
  • Captures demographic details and matches to NHS number
  • Potential to stream/redirect over 30% of patients
  • Consistent safe clinical assessment
  • Robust clinical governance structure

What Is BaRs?

  • A patient journey can involve two plus NHS services. Booking, clinical & administrative information needs to follow patients at all stages.
  • Currently, this is delivered via paper processes, manually across multiple healthcare IT systems and is inefficient.
  • BaRS ensures healthcare professionals receive information they need, in a format they can use, integrated into existing healthcare IT systems.
  • The BaRS is a crucial part of digital transformation across the NHS.

    Source: NHS England

Government’s Plan for Digital Health and Social Care States:

Strata Health’s Full Architectural Roadmap For BaRs Interoperability 2025

BEFORE: ED surging; printed emails taking > 10 mins to be received

AFTER: Self presenter’s getting a confirmed appointment slot in <1.5 seconds! 

What has Changed?

  • Up to 75% of patients are suitable for an appointment to return later.
  • 48% reduction in the number of patients in the waiting room.
  • 53% of patients spend less time in Emergency Department.
  • 132 hours of clinician time saved monthly by digitally redirecting patients.
  • 30-minute appointment slot for each patient with an appropriate clinician.
  • In 5 minutes a patient can complete triage and leave with an appointment.

IMPACT – Demand

IMPACT – Patients

“Was given an appointment for 2 hours later which meant I could go home and come back later rather than a lengthy wait in the waiting room. Really excellent service.”

“Your appointment system is fabulous it really works because you’re not waiting around for hours to see a doctor.”

“I thought the appointment booking service for A&E is an excellent idea it saves hanging around for hours, and the treatment I got was first class.”

IMPACT – Staff

“We’ve reduced the wait time in triage and reduced the wait to be seen.”

“A wonderful experience for the patient because they don’t have to wait in the department.”

“I’d never suggest a return to first come, first served.”