Revolutionising Long-Term Healthcare: iReview's Innovative Approach to Condition Management

Introduction

In an era of ageing populations and increasingly complex healthcare needs, general practice care is under unprecedented strain. With General Practitioners (GPs) juggling unsustainable workloads, the risk of burnout and attrition is rising sharply. This imbalance between supply and demand is jeopardising patient access to timely healthcare. This article delves into how iReview stands out as a transformative solution, not only mitigating these challenges but also redefining the landscape of long-term condition management.

The Landscape: Challenges in Current Healthcare

Overburdened GP Surgeries

The statistics speak for themselves: the number of general practice appointments in England leapt from 23.8 million in June 2019 to 25.9 million by June 2022—an 8.9% increase, excluding COVID-19 vaccination appointments. Source A recent Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) survey compounds the issue, revealing that 42% of GPs are considering exiting the profession within five years. Source

The Digital Divide

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into healthcare has shown mixed results but offers a ray of hope. One surgery in Buckinghamshire described adopting an AI-powered triage tool but found that it made inappropriate recommendations to patients and increased workload. Source Nonetheless, there is a clear opportunity for more effective forms of AI to supplement the GP and reduce workload, for example by helping them to process test results more accurately and quickly, or clinical support tools which can help to reduce the number of tests ordered. Source

The Quality-Quantity Quandary

GPs often find themselves torn between adhering to the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) and managing the overwhelming number of patient appointments, inevitably leading to less time—and sometimes less safe conditions—for individual patient care.

iReview: The Game-Changing Solution

• Modularity: iReview provides modules tailored to a practice's unique needs, whether that means covering a wide array of long-term conditions or focusing on a select few.
• White-Labeling: With communications that echo the aesthetics and tone of each practice, iReview fosters patient comfort and trust.
• End-to-End Management: iReview offers a seamless, tiered approach, which starts with technology and extends to our expert technicians and pharmacists. An in-house GP is always available for complex cases, and all data is integrated into existing clinical systems, including relevant QOF read codes. Additionally, our in-house admin team handles patient contact and facilitates bookings into our virtual clinics.
• Patient-Centric: iReview prioritises patients by offering multiple communication channels and industry-leading educational questionnaires. As one patient at St Neots Lakeside Surgery said, "I've had diabetes for a while now, and I thought I knew what to expect. But the virtual diabetes clinic was different. Fateha took the time to talk to me, to really explain my condition and how I could manage it."

Opinion & Analysis

iReview transcends the status of 'another digital tool.' By optimising the roles of Clinical Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians under the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS), iReview achieves cost-effectiveness while liberating GPs to focus more on other patients.

Adaptability

In the face of continual shifts in healthcare demands and technology, iReview's inherent adaptability renders it increasingly vital.

Conclusion

iReview emerges as an exceptional solution, effectively addressing key challenges like GP workloads, the integration of technology, and the conflict between quality and quantity in patient care. Its modular, patient-centric, and adaptive approach makes iReview not just another tool, but an excellent service for managing Long Term Condition Clinics.