Outpatient letters by text or email at West Middlesex
13 March 2020
West Middlesex University Hospital is launching a major improvement to how patients get their outpatient appointment letters. Patients will now have the option of accessing their appointment letter digitally (by email or phone text).
West Middlesex University Hospital is launching a major improvement to how patients get their outpatient appointment letters. Patients will now have the option of accessing their appointment letter digitally (by email or phone text).
The system will be trialled for all adult outpatient services at the hospital, following a successful pilot in Endocrinology and Diabetes clinics. It is intended to be quicker and more convenient for patients, while reducing Do Not Attends, administrative costs, and the likelihood of error for the hospital.
Patients receive a text (or email) which they click to take them to a secure portal. In the pilot, the majority of patients chose to view their letter online.
If patients do not access the digital letter soon after receipt, they will be sent the usual paper copy. This acts as a safeguard and patients also have the option to opt for print.
Be reassured that with our partners DrDoctor and Synertec, the system is secure and meets NHS data standards. It is a legitimate text or email from the hospital.
The intention is to roll it out across the whole of the Trust.