3 Ways Technology is Changing Your Experience with Doctors

Business Insights
03/08/2021

Digital tools are reducing the workload of GPs and eliminating unnecessary consultations, allowing people to get the help and advice they need without having to wait weeks for a 10-minute appointment. Many doctors’ surgeries are implementing speech recognition software to help doctors take fasters and more detailed notes without impacting the next patient in the waiting room; this not only saves time for both the doctors and patients but could potentially generate massive savings for the NHS.


The government has a blueprint for the future of technology in the NHS, and we are sure to see more changes in the future that will give the public the best care possible and free up time for doctors. In the guide, we look at three ways technology is already changing our experiences with doctors.


Remote Care

The pandemic caused an accelerated shift from face-to-face appointments towards healthcare being provided remotely, either by phone, video calls or even texts. As appointments in doctors surgeries began to fall as more and more people were trying to stay safe, appointments held remotely increased, and many people continue to prefer remote appointments over in-person ones.


The rise in remote care has also given those who are unable or struggle to attend face-to-face appointments the chance to access their doctors more easily. Having access to an online GP has dramatically helped those suffering from mental health issues; who may need care more quickly but struggle attending walk-in centres or making calls to book appointments.


You can access an online GP the same day when you register with Virtually; you won't have to wait weeks for an appointment and can speak to an NHS doctor quickly from your smartphone.


Smart Technology & Self-Care

Smartphones and wearables are becoming more popular with individuals for self-care. Still, there is a push for these technologies to be used by doctors and nurses to get a better understanding of a patients history. One-off readings cause be cause for alarm for a nurse or doctor, but if they can see the history from a smartwatch that shows the patient's heart rate readings, they can better understand if the readings in the hospital are due to stress or something more serious.


Digital Health Records

In 2019, the NHS announced its Long Term Plan as a commitment to embracing technology. Part of this commitment was to become paperless and increase efficiency for doctors and nurses; this involved a drive to enable patients and surgeries to benefit from digital technologies. It also included the promise that by 2020 patients would be able to access their full medical health records digitally. This is something we are able to request through the NHS app or via the website, making it easier if we need to see our records.


Physical records take up space that could be put to better use, and keeping physical records poses a considerable risk for them to be damaged, lost or stolen, especially in the event of a fire. Digitising all paper records offers a solution to practices that will save time and space, as well as protecting legacy patient files.