Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust is the first NHS Trust in the country to offer video consultations for cardiology patients so they get specialist advice without travelling to hospital.
Hospital appointments will continue to be provided for patients who need to see a healthcare professional in person, or if they don’t have a smartphone or would prefer an on-site appointment. The video consultation service, supported by Q doctor, an online video system, has been used by 75 GP practices and other Trusts across the country.
After only a few weeks into the three month pilot, the service received a good uptake and positive feedback from patients.
Dr Zeeshan Khawaja (Consultant Cardiologist, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust) who has been trialling the new service said: “This is a fantastic service for patients who have been discharged from our A&E, and referred for a follow-up cardiac appointment. Video appointments enable us as specialist healthcare professionals to engage rapidly with these patients to ensure that they get the care they need in a timely manner. We can provide important expert advice and arrange further tests where necessary without the need for patients to return to the hospital, having already been seen in the emergency department.
“Offering video consultations is not only convenient for patients, but it also makes sure that we don’t lose the personal rapport that we build. We can also be more flexible, offering appointments at times that suit our patients. It also frees up clinicians’ time and allows us to see a greater number of patients with complex cardiovascular problems more quickly, while still delivering a high quality service.”
Other news from BJC Issue 1, 2019:
British Geriatrics Society Cardiovascular Section partners with the BJC
New anticoagulant drug class in development
Guidelines for the safe practice of total intravenous anaesthesia
Cytokine removal in sepsis and endocarditis
News in brief
