TriageCalls - Telephone Triage System for Patient Calls

TriageCalls is a telephone triage system developed with NHS doctors and patients to solve real problems for patients seeking care, and general practice staff who need more time to deliver this care.

Already working with large volumes of call data across several GP practices, TriageCalls can ensure 100% of all calls are answered within 3 rings.

Eliminate the 8am rush and allow practice staff to focus on priority care delivery.

Staff Retention

Reduce abuse, stress and distractions for reception staff. Free up admin resources for more valuable work.

Patient Satisfaction

Enable patients to get straight through to capture their requirements and summarise these for a swift response.

Cure the 8am Rush

Answer 100% of calls within 3 rings. Redirect urgent calls and handle appointment bookings automatically.

Why Do You Need a Call Handling System?

Lighten the load on your reception staff. TriageCalls answers calls, transfers to the appropriate department automatically and handles appointment booking admin.

The system incorporates a first-stage triage system to ensure emergency needs are redirected to 999 and other diagnostic needs are redirected to 111. Thus, improving patient access to immediate medical attention.

For less urgent needs, the system captures details from the caller and summarises these for ease of follow up.

Queries about appointments are automatically handled by the system, synchronising with your booking system.

Free up reception and admin staff to focus on more valuable work.

Automate responses to:

Queries about appointment times
Requests to book appointments
Requests to move or cancel appointments

Why do you need a call handling triage system-1

What TriageCalls Does Not Do

Triage calls does not provide medical diagnoses, or comprehensive initial assessments for patients.

Given the variety of highly-nuanced triage systems used within specialised areas of the NHS, TriageCalls does not replace these triage systems, but separates requests for urgent medical attention from appointment booking, admin and information requests.

The system triages emergency and urgent diagnosis requests and redirects to the appropriate number; 999 or 111 respectively.

Other call types, such as those for repeat prescriptions, opening times, routine appointments and changes to these, are where TriageCalls is designed to operate.

Does not give clinical advice to patients

Improve Staff Retention, Hiring and Job Satisfaction

Prevent call handling overload and staff burnout

TriageCalls revolutionises how general practice staff handle the overwhelming volume of inbound calls daily. Allow staff the time and freedom to focus on other responsibilities.

TriageCalls also supports remote working via smart call forwarding and electronic delivery of call details.

Improve staff retention through higher job satisfaction

By efficiently managing available resources, our AI-driven solution alleviates the pressure on health professionals, allowing them to focus on patients seeking care.

This innovative approach not only streamlines operations but also significantly boosts job satisfaction, leading to improved staff retention.

Make hiring easier, with more appealing workloads

It's no secret, hiring for reception and admin roles at a general practice can be challenging. Potential applicants are wary of the pressures of high call volumes, long wait times and frustrated callers.

It doesn't help when stats emerge. such as the fact that 75% of GP receptionists report daily abuse from patients seeking care.

With TriageCalls, you can promise reception and admin staff with a more peace and quiet to focus on what needs to be done.

Improve Patient Access and Satisfaction

No more call waiting time or out-of-hours voicemail

Enable all callers to get straight through, within 3 rings, 100% of the time. Answer calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

According to the GPPS Survey 2024, 44% of patients did not have a good experience when trying to contact their general practice out of hours.

Reduce the frustration many patients currently experience after waiting in queues or failing to get through when they need to.

Intelligent routing ensures callers are transferred to the right team automatically.

Easy appointment booking, changes and lost detail queries

TriageCalls is designed to dramatically improve access to healthcare services. The system efficiently manages non-urgent and routine appointment bookings and change requests, as well as supplying details to patients who call up to find out when their appointment was booked for.

A clear, consistent experience with multi-language support

TriageCalls never has a 'bad day' or gets distracted. Ensure accurate and consistent information is provided to all patients, every time.

Handle calls from non-English speakers in their native tongue, with call transcripts and summaries translated into English for ease of response.

Reduce Call Waiting Time to Zero

Cure the 8am rush - handle multiple calls in parallel

Effortlessly handle a virtually unlimited number of parallel calls. TriageCalls scales to deliver a seamless answering service, over a single number, regardless of how many people call at once.

Remove the need for call queuing and long call wait times

Say goodbye to long wait times with TriageCalls' round-the-clock service. Our streamlined process provides seamless access to surgery services and clinicians, effortlessly managing appointments and integrating with existing triage systems.

Redirect and handle the majority of patient requests immediately

By efficiently handling routine queries and directing urgent cases to emergency services when necessary, TriageCalls ensures that every patient receives timely attention, reducing GP call waiting times to zero.

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Compliance and Security

TriageCalls strictly adheres to NHS data protection standards.

The system meets NHS Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC) and undergoes regular security audits and updates, ensuring top-level data security and seamless integration.

NHS Data Standards Adherence - Fully compliant with NHS data protection and security standards
DTAC Compatibility - Meets NHS Digital Technology Assessment Criteria for seamless integration
Regular Security Audits - Ongoing security audits and updates to maintain high protection levels
NHS data security and privacy compliance

Compliance with NHS standards and Security

Implementation, Integrations and Support

TriageCalls is designed for easy and hassle-free implementation, ensuring minimal disruption to your practice.

With comprehensive staff training, ongoing technical support, and regular updates, we make the transition smooth and efficient, allowing you to quickly reap the benefits of improved patient and staff experiences.

Easy implementation - simply redirect to a single number, we handle the system complexity
Integrations with Accurx, SystemOne, EMIS and Vision
Comprehensive training
Ongoing technical support SLA

Integration with NHS systems and Support

Alignment with NHS Goals

Solve day-to-day pressures with your general practice, in-line with the longer-term vision for the NHS. Digitalising and automating aspects of call handling aligns with both the 'Modern General Practice' model and the NHS 'Long Term Plan' (digital priorities).

The 8am rush is just one symptom of outdated telephone and digital systems. TriageCalls helps align call handling with NHS digital priorities and supports the 'Modern General Practice Access Model'.

Furthermore, alignment with the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) makes it easier to claim funding and recruit professionals for key administrative roles.

Alignment with NHS Long Term Plan and ARRS

Frequently Asked Questions

Does TriageCalls facilitate emergency triage

Our triage systems, tailored for general practice, provide an initial triage of inbound calls to reduce pressure on GP reception desks.

In critical situations, where callers indicate an emergency, or urgent symptoms, they are transferred to emergency departments via 999. In less severe cases, but still outside of routine appointments or other administrative tasks, callers will be transferred to 111.

TriageCalls does not provide a replacement for proper clinical assessment of the emergency severity index. It is not designed to support emergency departments in dealing with mass casualty events or reducing in-hospital mortality.

Triaging for emergency medicine requires direct involvement of a clinical professional - rapidly assessing vital signs and providing wounded speedy assistance. TriageCalls ensures that general practices redirect emergencies more quickly, to be dealt with by specialist units.

Does TriageCalls use the National Triage Scale

TriageCalls provides a first-stage telephone triage to ensure calls into a general practice are directed appropriately - redirected to 111, or 999 if emergency department assistance is required - and appointment admin is automated. TriageCalls frees up general practice admin staff to better support GPs to deliver top-tier care.

As a result, calls may be directed to clinicians with comprehensive triage training for both prehospital triage and general practice settings. TriageCalls does not provide a replacement for the clinical triage process.

Does TriageCalls handle mental health service requests?

TriageCalls handles a wide range of administrative functions relating to calls into a general practice. Requests for mental health services are just one of the many reasons for an appointment, and are therefore included within this remit.

TriageCalls does not provide clinical review or mental health service delivery, expertly managing. Our triage systems, including telephone triage and online consultation options, are designed with public health considerations in mind.

Our telephone triage tool is adaptable to a wide range of patient accessibility needs and appointment considerations, ensuring sensitive and clear communication 24/7/365.

Does TriageCalls facilitate self care

TriageCalls applies high-level triage logic to improve access to patient care by reducing call waiting times - answering calls immediately. In some instances, answers to simple triage questions will result in the call being transferred to 111, to speak with a clinically trained advisor, which may result in self-care recommendations.

How does TriageCalls compare to different Triage systems used globally?

TriageCalls is designed to apply simple triage logic to inbound calls, swiftly facilitating call transfers to the appropriate care departments, redirecting emergencies to 999 and urgent care requests to 111, and fulfilling a variety of admin functions relating to routine appointments.

Whilst the solution offers a wide degree of customisation, it is not designed to go into the clinical triage depths of processes such as the Canadian Triage process or Manchester triage system. Neither does TriageCalls adopt the Australasian Triage Scale, recognised by the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine.

We believe clinical triage should be undertaken by a qualified clinician, rather than AI. TriageCalls is designed to redirect urgent calls and reduce administrative demands on general practice receptionists.

Is this a triage tool that requires IT services to deploy it?

TriageCalls is a user-friendly triage system designed for seamless integration into general practice. Running on dedicated infrastructure, calls can be routed through to TriageCalls by simple call divert processes - requiring zero IT services time.

Where more integration is required, such as accessing shared calendars for booking appointments, our team provides comprehensive support to ensure smooth deployment with minimal disruption to your practice.

Will this comply with general practice requirements relating to GDPR and the security of patient records?

Absolutely. TriageCalls is built with data protection at its core. Our triage system fully complies with GDPR and NHS data security standards, ensuring the utmost protection of patient records in general practice settings.

How can this triage system assign appointments?

TriageCalls intelligently assigns appointments based on patient needs and clinician availability and nurses' time. It considers special considerations for each patient, efficiently allocating them to appropriate healthcare professionals, whether doctors or nurses, in the designated area of your practice.

The system allows patients to specify whether they would prefer to receive online consultations, telephone consultations or in-person consultations.

The practice benefits from optimised appointment management, reducing no-shows and patient frustrations with the appointment booking process.

What are the benefits for practice staff from a triage system like this?

TriageCalls significantly improves access and streamlines the entire patient management process. For general practice staff, this means reduced stress, more efficient workflows, and the ability to provide better care. Our 24-hour service capability also helps balance workloads, leading to improved job satisfaction.

Can TriageCalls cope with different languages and patients from other countries?

Yes, TriageCalls is designed to improve access for all patients, regardless of their language or country of origin. Our system can handle multiple languages, ensuring that appointments are scheduled appropriately and emergencies are identified and redirected promptly.

This inclusive approach helps general practices manage diverse patient populations efficiently, guiding them through the appointment booking process and answering routine questions relating to the practice.

How effectively does TriageCalls deliver an out of hours service

TriageCalls excels in providing a comprehensive and efficient out-of-hours service, ensuring that patient requests are handled promptly and effectively, even outside regular practice hours. Our system begins with a thorough initial assessment of each patient's needs, using advanced AI-driven triage protocols to determine the urgency and nature of the care required.

By streamlining access to healthcare services, TriageCalls significantly improves patient experiences during out-of-hours periods. The system efficiently manages appointments, sending timely appointment reminders to reduce no-shows and ensure smooth patient flow.

Whether a patient needs urgent care, advice, or can wait for a routine appointment, TriageCalls ensures the call is redirected as needed, so they receive the appropriate level of attention and support. This approach not only enhances patient satisfaction but also optimises resource allocation for practices, making out-of-hours services more manageable and effective.