There is no doubt in my mind that there is NOTHING like a full day of front-line clinical practice to put in perspective the challenge that we face in allowing new and innovative ways for patients and citizens to interact with their Health advisors.
After eleven and a half hours at the sharp end of 'undifferentiated illness, uncertainty and discontent' with hardly a break, I am shattered and drained of sympathy and enthusiasm. The benefit of 28 years of experience, grey hairs and a generally mild manner has not protected me from the pressure of 'trying to do the right thing', non-stop on the conveyor belt of General Practice.
And all-round the country tomorrow, my colleague GPs and Nurses will start again with the same routine.
Am I really very inefficient?
Should I 'free up time' to analyse what I should be doing differently?
Why do I find it so difficult to adopt a 'low appeasement strategy' advocated recently by a respected mentor?
Is this sort of experience and combination of feelings the reason why so many of us are reluctant to consider the combination of Records Access, virtual consultations and expanding communication channels?
We just have difficulty imagining how we can fit it all in........
Answers on a post-card.
Peter Short
Monday 30 January 2012
Tuesday 24 January 2012
Records Access & 'The Big Picture'
Well the Christmas & New Year 'disturbance' is over - and life in the land of General Practice returns to normal (chaos) - amid the wind and rain, heated public debates over health, and ongoing economic gloom.
And will 'Records Access' solve the dilemma for the NHS of increasing demand, tighter financial limits and ever closer scrutiny? Probably not.... No DEFINITELY NOT.
So where does it 'fit in' to future healthcare evolution? Well there are interesting debates going on in many circles, and perhaps that is in itself a sign of change to come, a willingness to consider a more mature and interactive relationship, utilising new media and information sharing opportunities. And as ever there will be polarised views, those who resist 'risky and unsound change without an overwhelming evidence base', and on the opposite side the evangelists who find it hard to understand and sympathise with an often conservative profession that has real concerns about the risks and implications of radical change. So in the middle ground sit the majority of practices, interested to learn more at their own pace, nervous that they have no spare capacity for new 'innovations', and uncertain when and how to proceed and how access fits into the big picture of health and social care.
On top of the list of questions seems to be 'will Records Access' deliver benefits? And here the answer may at the moment be 'not on its own'.
So if not in isolation - what role may it play and why should we consider it?
Well the evidence so far in the UK and Internationally seems to suggest to me it may have an important role to play when combined with actions, transactions and communication. With the record, if we just 'look at it' little changes, the lesson of digital expansion and the internet is that the ability to 'do things' could radically move the agenda forward. GPs have learnt this lesson painfully over 25 years, moving from paper to electronic records - the exciting bits are when we 'do thing's with records - exchange information, audit, decision support and many other 'digitally enabled' functions. So perhaps I should worry less about 'Records Access' as a subject or target and start to think about the opportunities for efficiency and innovation, how this first step enables self-care, healthy choice awareness and to have the data to populate their own 'healthcare management' system and do other thing beyond my current experience and imagination.
So as I work to stimulate interest from selected patients in my surgery I do so with a realistic expectation that 'Records Access' is not my goal, but more likely to be a step in the right direction to patients taking back some of the burden, responsibility and interest in their own health, and in doing so to help me look after them better.
It's good to have ambition!
Peter Short (glass-half-full)
And will 'Records Access' solve the dilemma for the NHS of increasing demand, tighter financial limits and ever closer scrutiny? Probably not.... No DEFINITELY NOT.
So where does it 'fit in' to future healthcare evolution? Well there are interesting debates going on in many circles, and perhaps that is in itself a sign of change to come, a willingness to consider a more mature and interactive relationship, utilising new media and information sharing opportunities. And as ever there will be polarised views, those who resist 'risky and unsound change without an overwhelming evidence base', and on the opposite side the evangelists who find it hard to understand and sympathise with an often conservative profession that has real concerns about the risks and implications of radical change. So in the middle ground sit the majority of practices, interested to learn more at their own pace, nervous that they have no spare capacity for new 'innovations', and uncertain when and how to proceed and how access fits into the big picture of health and social care.
On top of the list of questions seems to be 'will Records Access' deliver benefits? And here the answer may at the moment be 'not on its own'.
So if not in isolation - what role may it play and why should we consider it?
Well the evidence so far in the UK and Internationally seems to suggest to me it may have an important role to play when combined with actions, transactions and communication. With the record, if we just 'look at it' little changes, the lesson of digital expansion and the internet is that the ability to 'do things' could radically move the agenda forward. GPs have learnt this lesson painfully over 25 years, moving from paper to electronic records - the exciting bits are when we 'do thing's with records - exchange information, audit, decision support and many other 'digitally enabled' functions. So perhaps I should worry less about 'Records Access' as a subject or target and start to think about the opportunities for efficiency and innovation, how this first step enables self-care, healthy choice awareness and to have the data to populate their own 'healthcare management' system and do other thing beyond my current experience and imagination.
So as I work to stimulate interest from selected patients in my surgery I do so with a realistic expectation that 'Records Access' is not my goal, but more likely to be a step in the right direction to patients taking back some of the burden, responsibility and interest in their own health, and in doing so to help me look after them better.
It's good to have ambition!
Peter Short (glass-half-full)
Friday 13 January 2012
Wonders of Webex
Did a Webex yesterday with DHID encouragement - to outline my rationale for Records Access and the slow progress to-date.
Pleased to have some positive comments and suggestions back, but I am well aware this is the start of a complex development that both excites and worries my profession.
Next week I will have to plan my strategy to 'target' patients in earnest.
I will also be following up a suggestion to audit the age range of patients using transactional services - more homework!
Peter Short
Pleased to have some positive comments and suggestions back, but I am well aware this is the start of a complex development that both excites and worries my profession.
Next week I will have to plan my strategy to 'target' patients in earnest.
I will also be following up a suggestion to audit the age range of patients using transactional services - more homework!
Peter Short
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