Lambeth GPs Use Text Messaging To Boost Flu Immunisations, UK

Main Category: Flu / Cold / SARS
Also Included In: Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 20 Oct 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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Delivering critical health information to the people that need it most, nine GP surgeries in Lambeth, South London have been using iPLATO Patient Care Messaging to send text message invitations to patients for their annual Flu immunisation. Supported by Lambeth Primary Care Trust the initiative aims to increase immunisation rates amongst "at risk" patients whilst streamlining service delivery. Both the elderly and patients with chronic conditions, who are particularly susceptible to the flu during the winter months, are invited for free vaccinations via text message from their GP surgeries.

"During this time of year, we usually get the practice staff involved in stuffing hundreds of envelopes with invitation letters to the Flu- Jab clinics", said Belinda Anderson, Practice Manager from the Binfield Road Surgery. "The iPLATO system was indispensable in running this years' campaign. Using Patient Care Messaging we sent out 74 text messages in a single go and within minutes we had patients calling the surgery to book their appointments. There was a definite cost and time saving value compared to the traditional ways we usually contact patients."

Flu is a highly infectious illness which spreads very rapidly from person to person through the coughs and sneezes of those who are already carrying the virus. Flu immunisation (flu jab) affords protection from flu and lasts for one year. The vaccine, which is normally available in the autumn, is made from the strain of flu that is expected in the coming winter. In order to remain protected, it is recommended that "at-risk" patients ensure that they have a flu jab every year.

Tobias Alpsten, iPLATO Managing Director said, "Our aim is to help surgeries use existing channels of communication that combined with targeted intelligence, engage with patients in a seamless manner. The support we provide to surgeries ensures that they reach their immunisation targets through quality campaigns that we have developed and improved over time. The positive response to the flu-jab campaigns illustrates that mobile technology is a powerful tool that has the potential to be successfully used in a variety of immunisation situations - pandemic and childhood immunisations are but two examples."

iPLATO Patient Care Messaging is the only system to integrate with all major GP Administration Systems and is currently used across 23 Primary Care Trusts in England. As another National first, in the coming weeks, Lambeth surgeries will try iPLATO automated voice reminders as an additional means of inviting patients to flu-jab clinics.

About Lambeth PCT

Lambeth PCT was set up in 2002 and has since worked to assess the healthcare needs of the people who live in, work in or visit Lambeth and then to meet these needs by:

- Providing services through teams (such as district nursing, health visiting, therapy services, foot health, child health, family planning and elderly & intermediate care), and by arranging the provision of out-of-hours GP services.

- Planning and paying for services provided by primary care contractors (dentists, GPs, optometrists, pharmacists), NHS trusts and foundation trusts (hospitals and mental health & substance misuse services) and voluntary and independent sector organisations.

- Protecting the health of our communities and promoting good health.

About iPLATO

iPLATO is a privately owned limited company founded in London in the autumn of 1999. Over the last four years the company has invested substantial resources towards overcoming the barriers to entry of the United Kingdom healthcare market and building a mobile healthcare business. In 2003, iPLATO was awarded a SMART Feasibility Grant by the Department of Trade & Industry to study the feasibility of a national implementation of a system to remind outpatients about scheduled appointments using text messaging technology.

Since completing the study, the company has built a promising business around its flagship service - Patient Care Messaging. The European Venture Contest, organised by the European Commission, recently recognised iPLATO as one of the top ten early stage technology ventures ready to "reshape their industry and to conquer the global market". The company featured on the Red Herring Europe Top 200 of companies to watch in 2006.

http://www.iplato.net

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