Amidst this digital revolution sits a highly advanced, yet comfortingly familiar piece of technology – the telephone. Widely available and easy to use, the humble telephone, together with specialised surgery telephony like babblevoice, can be an enabler of inclusivity for healthcare access.
Healthcare’s digital divide
Around 1 in 20 UK households are without access to the internet (Ofcom, 2022), and approximately 10 million adults lack basic digital skills (Lloyds Banking Group, 2022). Reasons for this are varied, but people in low-income households and the elderly are much more likely to fall into these categories.
The shift towards digital healthcare services has undeniably improved convenience and efficiency for many patients. Virtual appointments, online repeat prescriptions, and electronic health records such as EMIS, have streamlined processes and empowered patients to take greater control of their healthcare journey. However, these advancements have also exacerbated disparities in access, leaving behind those who are unable to navigate digital platforms or lack reliable internet access.
A gateway for all
Telephony has undergone its own technological revolution, yet the handset remains a universally accessible tool that transcends barriers of age, socioeconomic status, and digital literacy. Patients of all backgrounds can pick up the phone and connect with their surgery.
Using a telephony system like babblevoice that is specialised for primary care, enables practices to offer targeted access solutions and support to these patients. Maximising opportunities in this area can play a significant role in reducing health inequalities.
A bridge to digital healthcare
Thanks to babblevoice’s innovative design and seamless integration with other clinical systems, once a patient connects with their phone, they can be guided along pathways that mirror the surgery’s digital workflows. They can be led through automated selections (e.g. call back, leave a message, make an appointment using their handset), signposted to a range of customised options (e.g. repeat prescription, vaccination clinic, test results) and even triaged using voice commands.
Babblevoice enables the telephone to act as a bridge to digital services for those patients who are happy to use them but cannot access them directly.
Patient prioritisation
Babblevoice also includes functionality that enables the practice team to flag patients that are in vulnerable categories. Once the flag has been input to the system, babblevoice recognises the category as soon as the patient calls and can handle their call via a different pathway.
For example, care home residents can be automatically brought to the front of the queue to enable them to speak directly to receptionists; patients who do not speak English can be diverted to translators; patients accessing social prescribing services routed to specialised link workers.
Inbuilt translation tools
Using AI technology, babblevoice will soon be able to take one step further towards inclusion for non-English speaking patients. Our engineers are in the later-stage development phase of enabling an instantaneous translation service.
Surgery and patient will be able to speak to each other over the phone in different languages, with the phone system translating their speech for each other in real-time.
The power of human connection
In an era where healthcare is increasingly digitised and transactional, the human connection facilitated by telephony remains invaluable. By embracing the accessibility of the telephone, primary care practices can break down barriers and ensure that no patient is left behind by the digital age.
The surgery telephone can act as a champion of healthcare inclusivity. By harnessing the power of this transformative tool, primary care practices can bridge the digital divide, enhance meaningful connections, and deliver patient-centred care to all.
For more information about how babblevoice can support digital inclusivity for your surgery, get in touch at info@babblevoice.com
For more information on wider support for surgeries re digital inclusion, read these top tips from the Good Things Foundation.
