Quality improvement project reducing waiting times and improving patients experience using an online questionnaire at a menopause clinic

Abstract

Following the launch of the new Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system, Electronic Patient Integrated Care (EPIC) system at Guys at St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust in the autumn of 2023, it was apparent that clinics were taking longer as members of staff were getting used to the new system. In view of the new system launch, there were further delays in roll over of patient information which was recorded on the previous EPR to EPIC which increased time for clinicians to find relevant information and access new referrals as they had to switch to the old system for information gathering. This resulted in lengthy electronic record searches, on top of getting used to the new system, subsequently significantly prolonging the clinic appointment times which had a knock-on effect on clinic wait and ultimately negatively impacting patient’s experience. It was therefore felt that introducing and trialling an electronic tool in the form of a questionnaire made accessible within the relevant section in EPIC might attempt to reduce prolonged clinic wait times in our menopause clinic. We developed a detailed and comprehensive menopause clinic questionnaire aimed at gathering the patient’s information before the clinic appointment. Overall patients had a positive opinion and good understanding of the questionnaire. We concluded that the questionnaire could be classed as an outpatient improvement process which aims to reduce clinic wait times.