Following the successful introduction of new digital appointment letter technology earlier this year, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) will next week expand the service to benefit patients attending four more services.
Starting Monday 22 October, all new pre-op assessment, elective admission, therapy and MSK (musculoskeletal) appointments will be sent direct to the patient’s mobile phone, replacing the traditional printed appointment letter for patients who have registered their mobile phone number with the hospital. Existing appointments will not be affected.
“The new system greatly improves the patient’s experience, patients can confirm, cancel or arrange to rebook their appointment with one click,” says John Bannister, ELHT Director of Operations.
“Once confirmed, the appointment can be added directly into the patient’s digital calendar, saved on the patient’s phone or forwarded it to their email for printing.”
Patients receive a text to their mobile phone with a secure link and 4-digit PIN. To access the letter patients simply click the link to their secure access page, enter the PIN and date of birth and their appointment letter appears. As well as the appointment date and time, the letter also includes pre-assessment instructions, essential reading and important hospital information.
The system is safe and secure and can only be accessed with the PIN and the patients’ date of birth. As an extra security measure, if the link isn’t accessed within 24 hours the electronic letter will be deleted and a paper letter automatically sent to the patient.
If patients don’t have a mobile phone, or their number isn’t registered with the hospital, a paper appointment letter will be issued in the post. For paediatric patients, the child’s parent or guardian will receive the letter on their behalf.
Sue Elliston, ELHT Outpatients Project Manager, said: “We are really excited to extend this new technology which has been welcomed by patients and staff.”
“In the past few months, digital letters for outpatient appointments have made the process easier for our patients by giving them all the information they need at their fingertips.”
“The technology is interactive enabling instant control to accept, cancel or rearrange appointments, as well as the ability to translate the letters in to multiple languages.”
“Overall it is a better, much smoother system which will enhance the patient experience.”
To assist patients who receive a digital appointment letter, a special film has been created to explain in simple terms how the new system works.
Patients who prefer a postal appointment letter should tell hospital admin staff who will update the communication preference on the patient’s hospital record.
Patients can find out more about the new electronic appointment letters by visiting https://elht.nhs.uk/patients/mobile-phone-appointment-letters