The Background
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) is the largest healthcare organisation in Wales, responsible for delivering services to more than 700,000 people across North Wales.
Previously, BCUHB’s Phlebotomy service used a “drop-in” ticketing system to manage demand. But this created an environment where demand quickly outgrew capacity. In 2012, the health board introduced an over-the-phone booking system to combat this. However, it became clear that this was a significant drain on resources, with seven FTEs needed to operate the phone.
Moreover, with inefficient, manual processes and an extremely high volume of calls, patients were experiencing waiting times of 30+ minutes. As a result, the patient and staff experience gradually worsened. Naturally, complaints became more frequent, causing further work and stress for staff. These factors and the associated cost of over-the-phone bookings led to BCUHB seeking a simple, digitised booking process that would help them improve the user experience, shorten wait times & reduce clinical risk.
The Solution
Working closely with BCUHB, bookinglab developed a purpose-built booking system that has made it easy to schedule and manage a large volume of appointments across multiple locations. Notably, the system has enabled BCUHB to:
- Use data and pre-defined slots to spread demand evenly and reduce wait times
- Offer patients 24/7 self-service for them and their children
- Offer the option of booking at other sites with earlier appointments
- Send automated reminders and essential information to patients before an appointment
- Set bookings rules to control their service and automate admin processes.
- Collect data to improve service delivery and much more.
The Impact
- BCUHB has generated cost savings of over £120,000 through realised efficiency gains.
- Since digitising booking processes, BCUHB has seen an 80% reduction in complaints.
- BCUHB has achieved a 62% channel shift, resulting in cost and efficiency savings.
These statistics highlight BCUHB’s success in reducing costs, improving the patient experience and increasing operational efficiency. BCUHB also states that since rolling out bookings, they have:
- Saved time through automation
- Improved patient flow
- Reduced reliance on costly channels
- Delivered 24/7 access & more flexibility
- Reduced wasted capacity
- Improved patient communication
