Case Studies
At NovaHS, we recognise the unique operational styles of each practice and tailor our services to meet their distinct needs. Below are examples from practices we've collaborated with over the past four years, showcasing the implementation of vital solutions. In respect of privacy, specific practice names are omitted
Transforming Clinical Correspondence in a Remote Yorkshire Practice
The challenge:
When a practice in a remote area of Yorkshire, servingaround 9,000 patients, faced challenges in recruiting coders and managing an overwhelming clinical correspondence workload, they reached out to NovaHS. With a backlog of over 3,000 documents and internal staff working overtime, the situation was dire. The practice's GPs found their evenings consumed by document coding, leading to burnout among the practice manager and GPs alike. Concerns about the recruitment process, training new staff, and the lack of appropriate governance measures for ensuring the safety and quality of work further exacerbated their stress.
The proposed solution:
Upon approaching NovaHS, the practice was introduced to our clinical correspondence processing service, NovaDoc. We proposed a solution that would alleviate their immediate challenges without the need for recruitment or training from the practice, by leveraging our established governance policies to ensure all tasks were performed safely and to the highest standards. The practice's concerns about costs were met with a tailored solution that fit their budget, providing significant savings.
Despite at the time we had a waiting period of over six months (thankfully this has now reduced to 1-4 weeks), the urgency of the practice's situation prompted NovaHS to expedite the onboarding process, implementing our Premium Plus service within just two weeks. This service included a comprehensive team of administrators, care coordinators, GP assistants, clinicians, and our medication management team, all within the practice's financial constraints.
The outcome:
NovaHS quickly addressed the backlog, clearing 3,000 documents within a week and dramatically reducing the GP workload by 96% in the initial week. The effectiveness of our intervention led the practice to advocate for NovaDoc within their Primary Care Network (PCN), resulting in the implementation of a PCN-wide solution funded via the ARRS scheme, with services customised for each practice's unique requirements.
A key factor in the practice's decision to collaborate with NovaHS was the reassurance provided by our CQC registration and our GP-led approach, underlining our commitment to safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. This case study showcases NovaHS's capacity to deliver urgent, effective solutions, reinforcing our dedication to improving clinical and admin processes across the board.
Transforming Online Consultation Efficiency for a Large GP Practice
The challenge:
In 2021, a large GP practice catering to almost 30,000 patients faced challenges in managing the overwhelming workload generated through their online consultation platform they were using at the time. The popularity of online consultations, especially during the pandemic, led to inefficiencies, with enquiries being distributed among multiple team members and creating an overloaded system. Recognising the need for change, the practice reached out to NovaHS for assistance in streamlining their service and implementing a robust clinical triage system to maintain patient access while effectively managing practice workload.
The proposed solution:
Upon engagement, NovaHS conducted an in-depth analysis ofthe practice's existing system, identifying key areas of inefficiency. Working collaboratively, we designed and introduced a new triage system, placing aclinician at the forefront of the process with a clear pathway for handling patient requests. This innovative approach not only preserved the ease of access for patients but also significantly reduced the administrative and clinical burden on the practice.
The outcome:
Our solution delivered remarkable results:
- Saved the practice 10 sessions a week
- Generated over 200 additional appointments per week
- Resulted in a substantial reduction in workload for both GPs and administrative staff
- Received highly positive feedback from patients
NovaHS demonstrated its capability to address up to 70% of triage requests directly, showcasing the importance of a well structured approach in healthcare delivery. This partnership between NovaHS and the GP practice exemplifies how tailored, clinician-led solutions can revolutionise patient care and operational efficiency.If you would like to speak to us about how we can help yourpractice please contact us to discuss how NovaHS can help.
Enhancing Prescription Management with NovaMed
The challenge:
A practice benefiting from our NovaDoc service reached out with concerns over managing their daily influx of prescription queries. Their medication management team was overwhelmed, struggling to keep up with the demand and falling behind on medication reviews, indicating that this wasn't the best allocation of their time.
The proposed solution:
Our lead pharmacist conducted a comprehensive analysis of the practice's pathways and structures for handling these requests. After identifying inefficiencies and areas needing specialised expertise, we discovered that a significant portion of requests directed to pharmacists could instead be efficiently managed at an earlier stage by adequately trained personnel.
To address this, we introduced our pharmacy technician support service, assembling a team of pharmacists and technicians specifically to aid GP practices in managing medication-related queries more efficiently. This service covers a broad range of tasks, from reviewing medication requestsand offering alternatives for stock shortages to synchronising medications and ensuring accurate medication reconciliation.
The outcome:
Within just two weeks of implementing our pharmacy technician support service, we achieved a dramatic reduction in thetasks requiring pharmacist intervention at the practice by 90%. This shift not only relieved the overwhelmed medication management team at the pracitce but also streamlined the prescription process, allowing the practice to catch up on medication reviews and better utilise their time for direct patient care.
NovaHS Bespoke - Streamlining Diverse Clinical Tasks
The challenge:
Faced with the challenge of managing a diverse array of tasks, including minor ailments, fit note requests, and blood pressure (BP) reviews, a practice found these tasks were consuming valuable clinic time without constituting enough workload to justify full-time clinicians dedicated to each area. Recognising that incorporating these tasks into the daily clinics of GPs, advanced nurse practitioners (ANPs), and nurses was not an efficient use of their time, the practice sought NovaHS's expertise to find a solution.
The proposed solution:
NovaHS proposed a daily clinic model tailored to the practice's unique needs, allowing for a dynamic combination of tasks to be addressed based on daily requirements. We handpicked clinicians with the versatility to manage the specified tasks and provided them with custom training aligned with the practice's desired outcomes. Additionally, we established clear pathways and standards to ensure consistency and quality in the services delivered by our clinicians.
The outcome:
The implementation of this bespoke clinic model led to a significant reduction in the practice's workload associated with minor ailments, fit note requests, and BP reviews. NovaHS successfully managed 70% of minor ailments, 98% of fit note requests, and 95% of BP reviews independently, requiring minimal input from the practice's in-house staff. This achievement underscored the effectiveness of our approach, rooted in close collaboration with our partners, attentive listening to their concerns, thorough assessment of existing systems, and the joint development of tailored solutions to enhance overall practice efficiency and patient care.
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