Bots combat GP administrative burden at East Auckland PHO

NEWS - eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth

East Health Trust has developed more than 30 robotic process automation (RPA) bots to help address the growing administrative workload that can cause GPs to reduce clinical hours or retire early.

The Primary Health Organisation began developing the technology two and a half years ago after seeing administrative workload become a key factor in driving both newly qualified and experienced doctors away from general practice.

"The common feedback from clinicians was that the admin is what really causes them problems," says Daniel Calder, East Health Trust's clinical director. 

"Clinicians at all ranges of their career bring this up: from newly qualified GPs in interview situations to clinicians at the later part of their career saying it is one of the things that makes people want to retire."

The bots handle routine tasks including filing normal blood results, processing screening programme updates and managing hospital status notifications. Around 65 percent of East Health Trust's clinics are using them, covering 80 percent of enrolled patients.

Calder says the connectivity of healthcare systems has increased the administrative burden.

"It is not uncommon now during a consultation to do an electronic order for blood tests, an electronic order for radiology investigations, refer someone to a different specialty and perhaps arrange an ACC claim at the same time," he explains. 

"The clinician becomes part-time administrator as well as thinking with a clinical brain."

Richard Clapp, the PHO's programme specialist, says the volume of communication from hospitals can be a real challenge, with one bot dedicated solely to filtering status updates about patients progressing through the hospital system. 

A cardiovascular risk assessment bot identifies patients due for assessment and completes calculations using existing data warehouse information. It then automatically sends low-risk patients healthy lifestyle information and flags moderate and high-risk cases for nursing team review.

Blood result processing bots also handle thousands of laboratory results monthly, reviewing normal results against both standard ranges and historical values before filing them automatically. 

Calder says one of the most impactful bots works on referrals, filing routine acceptance notifications but alerting clinicians when they are declined or have advice from hospital colleagues.

He says that before implementing a new bot they test it in the clinic he works in and continue to audit its performance. 

Patients benefit by getting earlier access to  their results in the patient portal and GPs can focus more on direct clinical care.

Clapp says trust and confidence in the bots has built over time and clinics are now quick to adopt and ask when the next one is coming. 

“One of the key things that we have been able to achieve for our clinics is we have the Bots working across both indici and Medtech Evolution Practice Management Solutions," he says.

"The clinics that have a lot of bots running do not seem to have the same workforce churn, which is really positive.

"The bots do not get tired and they do not get bored - they just keep on going.”

Image: Daniel Calder, East Health Trust's clinical director

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month.

Read more Workforce news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page