accuRx have been on an interesting journey and one that they may not always be given credit for, given the overnight and overwhelming success of the simple, yet game changing software they have introduced to general practice over the last four months. From modest beginnings, working out of small numbers of practices on process improvement measures, to the inception of the messaging service and video consultations, super rapid rollouts, continuous reinvention and pioneering tech in scope for the future, co-founder Jacob Haddad takes Ben through, arguably, one of tech's biggest triumphs in healthcare and what accuRx means for primary care and beyond.
Introductions (45 secs)
Where accuRx began (1min 8 secs)
A turning point (1 min 36 secs)
The messaging service (2 mins 5 secs)
The cause for the change in direction (2 mins 45 secs)
Communication, communication, communication (4 mins 25 secs)
A new approach to rollout (5 mins 16 secs)
Video consultations and Covid triage (6 mins 15 secs)
Feature design with patients and practice in mind (8 mins 9 secs)
Rollout timeline (8 mins 24 secs)
Identifying the need for more effective patient communication tools (9 mins)
The surge in demand (9 mins 50 secs)
Filling a gap in the market (10 mins 17 secs)
Has the messaging service been the key enabler of change and improvement in healthcare? (11 mins 31 secs)
Security, governance and information sharing (12 mins 1 sec)
How long will the service continue to be free to use? (14 mins 17 secs)
The "plus" tier (15 mins 50 secs)
accuRx ethos (16 mins 6 secs)
Working alongside health to build great tech (17 mins 54 secs)
What's next for accuRx? (18 mins 55 secs)
Staying up to date / more information (21 mins 49 secs)
For updates on what's next on the accuRx horizon:
Twitter @accuRx
The accuRx Facebook user group is here
accuRx have been hailed as the overwhelming success story of the Covid crisis, with a rapid deployment of much needed virtual tech into practices up and down the country and enabling primary teams to maintain high quality care for their patients. Ben is joined on this week’s podcast by GP and IT champion Dustyn Saint of Primary Care Pathways, to discuss the accuRx journey, what their breakout success has meant for general practice and how their influence is likely to extend beyond the pandemic.
Introductions (35 secs)
Primary Care Pathways (44 secs)
When did Dustyn first hear about accuRx? (1 min 33 secs)
Text messaging (1 min 58 secs)
How does the accuRx messaging service work alongside existing clinical systems? (3 mins 28 secs)
What other features does the messaging tool offer? (4 mins 6 secs)
A “game changing” video consultation service and its effect on general practice during the pandemic (4 mins 49 secs)
A comparison with previous video consultation applications (5 mins 54 secs)
How easy was it for colleagues and staff to adapt to using the accuRx systems? (6 mins 56 secs)
Widespread adoption across general practice (7 mins 41 secs)
Working with other providers and additional functionality (8 mins 8 secs)
Are virtual consults here to stay? (8 mins 35 secs)
The effect of tech on managing care going forwards (9 mins 21 secs)
Remote monitoring (10 mins 38 secs)
A turning point for primary care? (11 mins 30 secs)
The accuRx journey (12 mins 10 secs)
accuRx financial model and the procurement process (12 mins 53 secs)
A comparison against other business models; past and present (14 mins 8 secs)
The impact on working practices and benefits to patients (14 mins 4 secs)
Security and governance (15 mins 37 secs)
GP testimonial (16 mins 38 secs)
What’s next for Primary Care Pathways? (16 mins 58 secs)
Getting in touch (18 mins 11 secs)
For more information on Primary Care Pathways and making direct contact with Dustyn:
Primary Care Pathways website here
Primary Care Pathways first Ockham podcast episode is available here
Contact @PrimaryCareIT / @DustynSaint
Resilience in primary care has been truly tested by recent events but we are going back to basics on this week’s podcast as we talk to former midwife turned executive coach Janice Steed about why the resilience of a practice and its people is key to its success overall. What are the indicators of a resilient practice, where are the red flags and what are the clear elements that we must consider if we are to make improvements? Janice offers advice, gives her thoughts and shines a light on the Beds and Herts journey, following the introduction of their resilience programme there.
Introductions (44 secs)
What inspired Janice to become involved in resilience improvement? (1 min 16 secs)
The general practice resilience programme in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire (1 min 50 secs)
Why the programme was introduced (2 mins 21 secs)
How the programme began (2 mins 41 secs)
Resilience: key indicators that a practice may be struggling (4 mins 3 secs)
Practice versus personal resilience (5 mins 47 secs)
Engaging the whole practice through its individuals (7 mins 30 secs)
The LMC’s role in improving resilience (8 mins 29 secs)
Practical elements for consideration (9 mins 16 secs)
The Beds and Herts resilience programme outline (10 mins 32 secs)
An overview of the programme’s six modules (12 mins 5 secs_
The impact of Covid on general practice resilience (15 mins 28 secs)
PCNs and their influence (15 mins 41 secs)
Getting in touch / further information (17 mins 49 secs)
For more information about Janice, her website is here
Details on the Beds and Herts resilience journey can be found on their LMC website here
Covid-19 has presented many challenges for GPs, not least the changes they have had to enact to ensure they are able to continue safe and effective management of patients with long terms health conditions. This week’s podcast features GP Dr Andrew Whittamore, Clinical Lead at the Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Partnership and fellow GP Dr Minal Bakhai, National Clinical Director for Digital First Primary Care, who discuss the impact that the rapid introduction of tech and a more tech based approach in primary care has meant overall but also more crucially, how the opportunities presented by Covid have enabled them to offer increased flexibility and adaptability to meet patients’ needs - and to reach previously untapped patient populations.
Introductions (35 secs)
Which of the changes has had the most beneficial effect? (1 min 1 sec)
A total triage model of care (1 min 31 secs)
Remote consultations in numbers (2 mins 12 secs)
Using the wider workforce and rapid progress in other areas (3 mins 17 secs)
Remote monitoring and the impact on management of long-term conditions (4 mins 10 secs)
Andy’s experience from Portsdown Group Practice
The opportunities presented by Covid (5 mins 54 secs)
Was Covid the enabler for change or was this already the direction of travel? (6 mins 37 secs)
The power of shared purpose and streamlining services (8 mins 24 secs)
How has the shift to digital changed the management of patients with long term conditions? (8 mins 41 secs)
The risks new ways of working may present to patients with asthma and other lung conditions (10 mins 32 secs)
Asthma: the facts (and the ways digital transformation can improve outcomes) (11 mina 44 secs)
What happens next? (14 mins 38 secs)
Continuing the momentum at PCN level (17 mins 45 secs)
The importance of being able to align primary care services to patient lifestyle and preference (18 mins 38 secs)
Getting in touch and further information (19 mins 18 secs)
Links for guidance and support in setting up a digital model:
Advice on how to establish a 'total triage' model in general practice using online consultations
Health Education England e-learning on remote total triage model in general practice
Principles for safe video consulting during Covid-19
Digital First Primary Care home page: https://www.england.nhs.uk/gp/digital-first-primary-care/
Contact Digital First Primary Care: england.digitalfirstprimarycare@nhs.net
Specific links related to management of asthma:
Here is the link to all of the asthma uk publications
Specifically digital asthma: reimagining primary care
Minal mentioned this report looking at data sharing and technology exploring the attitudes of people with asthma