Capio - a leading international healthcare group that improves accessibility and quality through standardised information gathering with Doctrin's platform

Capio Ringen is one of Stockholm's largest healthcare centres, with around 28,000 registered patients. At the end of 2018, it found itself in a pressured situation, with a decrease in the number of newly registering patients, an overcrowded walk-in clinic, low telephone availability and an unsustainable workload for staff.

In close cooperation with Doctrin, they could jointly reverse this trend. To better manage and prioritise its patients, it moved completely from a physical walk-in clinic to appointment-based, triaged contacts via the Flow platform. The platform replaced the first contact, which was previously handled as a physical walk-in or by telephone - both for triage and administrative matters. The healthcare centre set up a contact button on its website and offered the same link via the telephone system’s (TeleQ) switchboard. Through an active marketing campaign, it was able to redirect the walk-in visits from the physical waiting room (which it closed) to Flow overnight.

Ringen showed the way

Katarina Wettin, who is a member of the project’s steering committee, shared some reflections in Capio S:t Göran's newsletter, Communicare:

“We were almost shocked by how quickly the change came about. We instructed the patients who came for walk-in visits on how to begin their visit by filling out a questionnaire about their medical problems in the chat. Many patients’ issues are entirely resolved in the chat, while others may need a supplementary physical visit, or perhaps to have further testing organised. Of course, we still offer the option to use all previous channels and services for patients who cannot consult digitally.”

“Many people want help in the morning. Now we can distribute the contacts over a longer period of time during the day as the patients respond when it suits them. In the chat, healthcare professionals can process up to 10-15 healthcare contacts running simultaneously, which is impossible to do over the telephone or in physical healthcare. One or more experts can be invited into the chat, which can serve as a digital case conference."

“Increased accessibility, the correct level of healthcare, high quality with standardized questionnaires and advice for patients. All this has been achieved with unchanged resources. The staff also feel that the working environment has improved.”

 

• The number of physical walk-in patients has fallen by 73% (all professions)
• The number of diagnosed contacts with healthcare professionals has increased by 30%
• The proportion of patients assessed within the healthcare guarantee (3 days) has increased from 94% to 97%
• The number of incoming telephone calls has decreased by 38% compared to the corresponding period last year
• Everyone in the chat receives an answer on the same day, and telephone availability has also increased to 93%
  (from 79% before the introduction of Flow)
• The waiting time is, on average, 30 minutes for the patient during the service’s opening hours (8 am to 3 pm)

 

'Bättre Besök' - a digital history before the telephone call to the patient's healthcare centre, which the patient fills in before he/she is called up by the nurse for guidance

The journey with Capio began at the end of 2016, when a close collaboration with Capio Närsjukvård led to Doctrin's first product, 'Bättre Besök' - where the patient describes their symptoms and expectations in a smart questionnaire following a telephone conversation with a triage nurse and prior to seeing a doctor. 'Bättre Besök' is currently used by approximately 90 healthcare centres throughout Sweden.

 

Capio Go - a central digital healthcare offering, linked to physical healthcare via the patient's own primary care centre

New technology and people's need for accessible healthcare has led to the rapid establishment of fully digital healthcare providers. Today, people want to be able to choose how and when to contact their healthcare provider. It was an obvious step for Capio to offer its patients healthcare through these new channels, and to link it to the 104 healthcare centres around the country. Capio in which patients offer digi-physical healthcare using the Doctrin platform, Flow, was therefore launched in May 2017. Therefore, Capio decided to launch Capio Go in May 2017, where they can offer patients digi-physical care with the help of Doctrin's Flow platform.

Capio Go is a national digital platform, available to all patients. The motto is: "Digitally whenever possible - physically when needed". The patient can begin the healthcare journey at any time of the day by entering their symptoms into Flow's digital forms. Many patients receive the help they need from the digital encounter, while others need to have further testing organised or be examined at a healthcare centre.

New working methods focusing on the patient

Capio Go has used the platform to establish new working methods based on the patient's perspective, where the patient's ideas, concerns and expectations play a crucial role in the encounter. The digital healthcare consultation is primarily conducted through chat where the patient can send pictures or connect by video if necessary. If the patient needs a physical examination, they are referred to the healthcare centre with which they are registered through integration with the telephony system, TeleQ, and the digital history is attached.

The forms and the new working method have made the standardisation of Capio's healthcare offering possible. Templates have been provided for the chat, with pre-prepared patient advice.

They have integrated the platform with Capio's standardised electronic healthcare records, which include pre-selected lab requests and medication that can be immediately read by the patient and other healthcare providers. The text-based encounters have introduced new opportunities for individual feedback during the introduction to Flow, as well as follow-up and further training. Capio's standardised medical processes provide good evidence-based, fair and safe healthcare online, starting with Doctrin's forms.

• Capio Go was awarded the 'Guldskalpellen 2018' award by Dagens Medicin as innovator of the year in the Swedish healthcare system
• 95% of patients would recommend Capio Go (2018)