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HEDGE END MEDICAL CENTRE CASE STUDY

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Hedge End Medical Centre, situated in the suburban village of Hedge End just north of Southampton, is a large Medical Centre serving much of the local community. Housing eight Doctors and half a dozen Nurses, the centre treats hundreds of patients each month, from minor ailments to serious illnesses.

In a recent GP Patient Survey conducted by the Department of Health, it was identified that, although Hedge End Medical Centre performed extremely well in the survey, call response times needed to be improved upon. The survey, developed with Ipsos MORI, was sent out to random patients of the centre in order to monitor performance and standards.

According to the April 2010 GP Patient Survey, a very small percentage of patients said it was "not very easy" to get through to the centre on the phone. This immediately prompted Lynda Langford, Practice Manager at Hedge End Medical Centre, to find a way to improve call response times.

Lynda contacted her existing provider. She met with their consultant, who discussed a new phone system which would be more suited to the needs of the business than the current Ericsson system. Using her business mind, Lynda thought it prudent to contact a couple of other providers before committing to their existing supplier. "We had a chap from another telecoms supplier who turned up with a pen, some paper and nothing else. He didn't leave a quote on the day, and it took an age to receive it afterwards" exclaims Lynda. "I then contacted 4Com. Their advisor came to see us and offered some exceptionally sound advice. He was knowledgeable, confident and able to demonstrate the different products on offer. The 4Com advisor really shone out from the others I had seen previously".

The 4Com advisor provided a quote on the day, and offered a breakdown of costs for calls, lines and the telephone system itself. After a brief discussion with the centre's Senior Partners, an agreement was made. Paperwork was signed and installation of the new system began.

Lynda explains that "the 4Com Engineers were able to install the system out of hours, and came back the next morning to ensure everything was working. We were trained on the features of the new system later that day."

Using Call Monitoring, Hedge End Medical Centre are now able to see instantly how many callers are waiting in a call queue. In busy periods, staff at the centre can log in and take calls quickly, and are able to manage the flow of incoming calls more effectively. The Call Monitoring software clearly displays, on-screen, how many agents are on the phone, how many are available and how many callers are waiting to be dealt with. Information about average call waiting time is also displayed.

"It's a fantastic system. We can now manage our calls effectively and with ease. Our average caller now has to wait less than 20 seconds before being answered."

In addition, 4Com also installed Call Recording and provided key staff with headsets. This has helped increase productivity and work rates, as well as improve patients' perception of the centre. Lynda explains why. "If a patient calls to check a prescription, we can now walk across the building to check whilst still being able to speak with them. Prior to having headsets, we had to place the customer on hold, walk to the prescriptions desk, then walk back and tell the customer. In many cases the patient would then ask if a prescription for their spouse was ready. This involved another trip across the building while the patient was on hold."

With 32 extensions, Hedge End Medical Centre has seen a dramatic improvement in productivity, and hopes to further improve their GP Patient Survey score next year.

Call Recording allows Doctors and Nurses to check back on calls if they need to clarify information, Call Monitoring enables increased efficiency of call management, and headsets help to improve the Patients' experience, as well as make the staff's life easier.

"We are so pleased with the result. The new system has made our lives easier and has dramatically improved the experience for our patients."