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Digital messaging platform connects rheumatology patients with clinicians

Janice Taggart, Pharmacist Priya Sinh, Dr Parham Afrasyabi, former Executive Director of STRIDe Sandip Kumar, Medical Director Rheumatology Dr Jenni Ng, Annett Cartwright, CNC Paula Newey, Innovation Lead Shaurin Shah and Adv Trainee Jon Kim.

Rheumatology patients at Gold Coast Health now have access to a new digital messaging platform using Foxo software, connecting them directly to the Rheumatology services team.

This new service enables patients receiving ongoing treatment at Rheumatology outpatient clinics to contact the service outside of scheduled appointments for non-life-threatening queries related to their ongoing illness. They do so through the digital messaging platform, developed in partnership with Foxo.

By providing this cohort of patients with an access card (with QR Code), and/or a link via SMS, they are now able to message the Rheumatology service at any time, from anywhere, using Foxo’s ‘Patient Connect’ platform.

Man holds rheumatology service access card up to camera.Enabling these patients to contact the service in this way aims to divert queries received via phone message, email and reduces face-to-face visits to Gold Coast Health facilities. It also provides the service with oversight of the enquiries received, which may also be used to inform future quality and safety initiatives.

The launch of the Rheumatology Service marks the second activation of Patient Connect, following an initial implementation of the platform for the General Medicine Rapid Access Service (G-RAS) within the Medical Decision Unit. Further use cases are now in planning and development for Renal Services, Cancer Services and Child Health Services.

This technology offers a secure, streamlined, and accountable communication channel between patients and the Rheumatology team. Medical Director of Rheumatology, Dr Jenni Ng, welcomed its use within the Rheumatology Service.

“Our patients will have peace of mind knowing they have a direct line of communication with our team through the Rheumatology digital messaging platform. Concerns or questions regarding their care can be resolved without the need for a phone call, or travel in to one of our clinics, which will be a much-improved patient experience” Dr Ng said.

“The platform also provides our staff with a range of benefits, including consolidating our lines of communication and optimising our in-person appointment time. This is the future of health care and we’re very excited to be a part of it.”

The concept behind the technology is 'unified communications', providing a secure connection layer and bridging patient engagements with the targeted health service.

This project was executed by the Rheumatology team, in collaboration with the Gold Coast Health Innovation and Transformation Advisory team and Foxo. 

 


Last updated 25 Oct 2024