Tag: GP

Clanwilliam Introduces Patient-focused App ‘Pippo’ to Revolutionise GP Services

Global healthcare technology company Clanwilliam has announced the full launch of Pippo, an innovative patient focused app designed to streamline and simplify interactions between patients and GPs in Ireland. The roll out of the application is enabled by a multi-year seven figure investment with several hundred thousand euro already invested in the solution.

Pippo reduces the burden of managing healthcare administration by simplifying the management of repeat prescription requests, appointment bookings, and other patient requests. A pilot version of the app enabling the management of patient bookings was rolled out across GP practices nationwide last year. An average of 40 hours every month in administrative duties was saved by practices using Pippo over the course of the successful pilot scheme.

The full launch of Pippo includes the introduction of a new online repeat prescriptions functionality into the app. This functionality is expected to save participating practices an estimated 15 to 30 minutes per prescription and unlock valuable clinical capacity.

Many GP practices currently manage repeat prescription requests, patient appointment bookings and other requests via time intensive channels, such as phone calls, consuming valuable practice capacity. Pippo streamlines the management of these administrative functions through a fully digital and easy-to-use platform that enables patients of participating clinics to manage requests online.

Designed with stringent security standards, the platform ensures the secure end-to-end protection of patient data and is fully interoperable with existing GP practice management systems including Socrates and Helix Practice Manager.

Commenting on the full launch of Pippo, Eileen Byrne, Managing Director of Clanwilliam Ireland, said, “The nature of healthcare is rapidly evolving in our digital age. Increasingly, digital technologies have a crucial role to play in making existing healthcare services more agile, flexible and responsive, for the benefit of both healthcare professionals and their patients.

 “We are delighted to now be able to offer repeat prescriptions functionality through the app, providing another seamless, patient-led interaction that creates efficiencies for practices.

With its capacity to deliver seamless, secure and efficient interactions between GPs and patients, the roll out of Pippo is an important step forward on this journey of transforming healthcare. By increasing the efficiency of GP patient interactions including appointment booking, payments, and refilling prescriptions in a simple and easy to use way, we’re helping to unlock significant benefits for both doctors and patients.

 Through Pippo and the ongoing development of our range of pioneering healthcare innovations, we hope to continue our progress in improving healthcare delivery and realising our vision of a fully connected healthcare system for all.”

Claire Kavanagh, Practice Receptionist and Pippo Project Lead at Tower Medical, commented, “Digital healthcare innovation is an important part of improving healthcare services for patients and doctors across Ireland. By working closely with Clanwilliam for many years and leveraging their suite of technology solutions, we’ve been able to enhance the delivery of our practice’s services and continue meeting the evolving needs of patients.

Pippo is an important digital service that can simplify a range of interactions between patients and GPs and save valuable hours in administrative duties. Integrating the pilot version of Pippo in our practice increased the efficiency of our booking system, unlocking valuable practice capacity and helping us to foster a better patient experience.”

For over 25 years, Clanwilliam has forged successful integrations and partnerships with healthcare technology providers and worked with key stakeholders such as the Department of Health, ICGP, and the HSE to help shape the future of the digital healthcare space in Ireland. Pippo is the latest in a series of healthcare innovations aligned with the HSE eHealth programme of work, including digital health initiatives such as Chronic Disease Management, e-Referrals, electronic prescriptions, the newly launched STC Analyser, and Covid vaccinations.

Pippo is part of Clanwilliam, founded in 1996 in Dublin, when Howard Beggs established Medicom Medical Computer Solutions to help doctors utilise technology to deliver better care. It has grown into a global healthcare group of more than 25 technology products and services committed to improving healthcare across the world. It has 19 offices and more than 1,050 staff in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, and India.

Connected health: Online consultations would make half of adults more likely to take concerns to GP

Pure Telecom, Ireland’s high-speed broadband and telecoms provider, today announces the latest results from its inaugural Connected Lives survey, which show a strong appetite among Ireland’s adult population for more accessible online healthcare. The research found that nearly half (49%) of the population said they would be more likely to bring a health concern to their GP if they offered online consultations, yet just 29% said that this is a service their GP currently offers.

The nationally representative survey of 1,004 adults in Ireland was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom. It explored public sentiments about connected healthcare, which is expected to become an integral part of healthcare systems around the world in the coming years.

Pure Telecom’s research shows that 64% of adults would be willing to have online consultations with all types of healthcare providers, where appropriate, if it meant they could help to reduce waiting times. Recent research from McKinsey shows that online consultations reduce hospital wait times by unlocking bed capacity. Moreover, the Government highlights in its 2023 Waiting List Action Plan that virtual patient engagement can be an effective tool in helping to reduce waiting times.

Showing the potential benefits of connected healthcare, more than half of adults believe that it could improve the accessibility (57%) and quality (55%) of healthcare available to them. People living in Louth were the most likely to say that connected healthcare would improve the accessibility of healthcare to them (73%), followed by those in Carlow (71%) and Kilkenny and Kerry (65%).

Not everyone is convinced by the benefits of connected healthcare, however, with almost a third (32%) saying they do not have faith that telemedicine and online consultations enable accurate diagnoses.

Often, early detection can be a deciding factor in the outcome of health issues. Pure Telecom’s research found that 58% of adults would be willing to have their health tracking device’s data monitored and shared to catch potential health issues. Over half of the population (52%) used a mobile app to manage their health symptoms or appointments in the last 12 months.

Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “Often, it is important that we see a healthcare professional in-person to receive the appropriate care or treatment. There are other times when healthcare visits feel like they could have been more time-efficient – both for the patient and health professional – by being done online.

“Our research shows that there is an appetite among adults in Ireland for our healthcare providers to embrace connected medicine where it is appropriate. We found that a significant proportion of the adult population – 63% – have had an online consultation with a healthcare professional in the last 12 months, rising to 71% for those aged 34 and under, and falling to 53% for those aged 35 and over. On average, 36% of adults have had online consultations with a GP. Interestingly, however, only 29% of respondents reported that their own GP offers online consultations. This suggests that people may be actively searching for GPs, other than their own, who will give them online appointments as an alternative to going in-person.

“Judging from the proportion of people who are managing aspects of their health using mobile apps, and those who are willing to have their health tracking device’s data shared with their healthcare provider, we can also see that Irish adults are taking charge of their healthcare and putting more faith in technology.

“Whether it’s via an app or an online consultation, connectivity is everything when it comes to remote healthcare. Patients and medical professionals need to be able to connect as seamlessly as possible and Pure Telecom is playing a role in facilitating this through reliable, high-speed broadband. We are committed to ensuring that as connected healthcare grows, our customers can access the services they need at all times.”