For the first time, patients referred to Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Services across Northern Ireland can now book appointments through the My Care app.
The new service is currently available for patients who are triaged as urgent. Once notified through the Regional My Care patient portal, patients can then view available appointments and choose a time that best suits them.
Within four days of sustaining a shoulder injury and attending the Ulster Hospital Minor Injuries Unit, Jill Jordan received a notification inviting her to book her own appointment.
The My Care patient portal allows patients across Northern Ireland to view information about their digital medical record, such as their medications, appointments and some test results. It is free and it is optional to use.
Jill said the process was straightforward and convenient, “I was offered three different appointment options, which was great as I could choose a time that fitted around my schedule and other appointments.
“The My Care App is very easy to use and you can add your appointment straight into your own calendar. It is much more convenient than having to ring up or wait on hold. You simply choose a time that suits you while sitting at home with a cup of tea!”
Jill added how beneficial the reminder system was. “I received three reminders before my appointment, so there was no chance I was going to forget it, thankfully.
“The My Care App is brilliant. It is really useful and helpful to have and it is definitely worth signing up to.”
South Eastern Trust, Physiotherapy Musculoskeletal Lead, Eilis McGarvey said the self-scheduling feature in the My Care app is helping patients access care more quickly, “Patients can now not only refer themselves for Physiotherapy but, if appropriate, they can also book their own appointment through the My Care app.
“The self-scheduling option is available for patients referred into our service who are triaged as urgent. Once they receive an alert through the app, they can select an appointment time that best suits their needs.”
Eilis said the benefits are already being seen by both patient and the service, “ Patients are able to book their appointment much sooner. We have noticed a significant drop in the time between making the referral and actually getting the opportunity to book an appointment. It has dropped from an average of six days to just one.
“For us, as a service, we are actually seeing a reduction in our lost capacity where previously patients may have had to cancel at short notice and the appointment time lost. We have now been able to release these appointments for self-scheduling much sooner.”