NHS Lanarkshire improved patient flow by introducing an electronic pre-operative assessment, which significantly reduced in-person appointments, surgery cancellations for clinical reasons, and incoming phone calls. This digital approach helped the hospital streamline operations, enhance patient experience, and use clinical resources more efficiently. 

Key Results 

  • 45% of patients completed their pre-operative assessment remotely. 
  • 33% reduction in surgery cancellations. 
  • 89% of patients did not need to call the clinic. 
  • 91% of patients would recommend the digital solution to others. 

Challenge: Managing Long Waiting Lists 

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, NHS Lanarkshire faced growing waiting lists for elective surgery. The health board sought to reduce administrative workload and improve efficiency by replacing its manual, paper-based pre-assessment system, which required every patient to attend a face-to-face appointment. 

The paper-based process was time-consuming and placed a considerable burden on both staff and patients. Regardless of their condition, all patients had to attend in-person appointments, leading to unnecessary delays and bottlenecks in pre-operative assessments. 

This approach increased patient frustration, extended waiting times, and placed additional strain on staff and resources. Without a digital workflow, managing patient flow and scheduling surgeries efficiently remained a challenge. 

Solution: Digital Innovation and Automation 

Buddy Healthcare’s Elsie platform introduced a fully digital care pathway for pre-operative assessments, supporting remote patient engagement and monitoring. The platform automated communication, data collection, and care coordination, enabling clinical teams to focus more on patient care rather than administrative tasks. 

The app provided real-time updates and reminders to patients, ensuring they remained informed and prepared for surgery. Patients could complete medical questionnaires, provide pre-assessment information, receive personalised pre-surgery guidance, and ask questions directly through the app – reducing the need for phone calls or clinic visits. 

By digitising communication and data collection, NHS Lanarkshire improved care coordination, reduced administrative workload, and optimised the use of clinical resources. The introduction of the digital pathway also contributed to fewer cancellations and smoother patient journeys across surgical services. 
 
Read in Futurescot’s article how NHS Lanarkshire’s team of pre-operative care specialists won an innovation award after introducing a digital system (Elsie) to streamline the onboarding of patients for surgery. 
 
Interested in hearing more about digitising perioperative pathways?

If your organisation is exploring ways to digitise care pathways and improve operational efficiency, our team would be delighted to discuss how Buddy Healthcare can support you. 

Please reach out to Buddy Healthcare.