Cornerstone Practice & Healthcare Launches Cloud Telephony System

NHS GP practice Cornerstone Practice and Healthcare has implemented X-On Health’s cloud telephony system to ensure staff can handle high call volumes and patients can quickly access the service they need.

Blackburn with Darwen has four surgeries in general practice and provides services for approximately 26,000 patients. The system first went live at Bentham Road Surgery, where it was able to solve any problem.

Subsequently, it was rolled out to Lambeth Street, Ridings and Shadsworth surgeries. Overall, deployment took less than three months.

The Cornerstone practice selected Surgery Connect from X-On Health, and spent time carefully considering the workflows it needed to support, as part of an accelerator program. The Accelerator program was set up by NHS England to help practices make high-impact improvements.

Katie Stanton, practice manager, said: “Configuring the system is something we really need to think about.

“We spent a lot of time on that, and it was the most valuable thing we did. We looked at the configuration of our existing call system, and how we wanted it to work for us and our patients.”

As a result, new call flows include options that allow callers to leave the main queue, some of which route them to other technology-enabled services. The system deals with the highest volume of calls first and the low priority options – such as sales reps – last.

The Cornerstone practice configured its system so that the first option for patients was to order a repeat prescription — a large portion of its call volume.

Due to this, a large number of patients can be immediately taken to the concerned team. Receiving test results is another early option and includes a recorded message explaining important information to patients.

For instances where patients are requesting appointments, the practice is also able to effectively direct patients. “We want to provide equal access across all platforms and using the same terminology by phone and online is part of that. For this reason, we have pre-defined terms used in our new online counseling system, PATCHS,” said Stanton.

“We ask if patients are reaching out about a new or existing condition. This has required some patient adjustment, but we wanted to move away from the idea that everything requires an appointment with a GP, which is often the expectation.

“What we’re trying to convey is ‘you’re reaching out to us with a requirement, and we’ll guide you to the right service.’ This may be an appointment with a GP or other healthcare professional, or we may direct you to a different service such as a pharmacy or dentist,” she explained.

Additionally, each practice venue has its own phone number and point of contact, while also having the ability to call other teams directly to manage staffing shortages.

In March 2022, SCG acquired Storacol Technology Limited, which traded as X-On. Last month SCG announced it was launching X-On Health, with a focus on equipping primary care and GP surgeries with modern communication systems.