The Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine (BCRM) embarked on a transformative journey in collaboration with OX.DH, a leading healthcare technology firm with affiliations to the University of Oxford and Microsoft. The initiative aimed to revolutionise both patient and staff experiences at the clinic by implementing a cutting-edge digital infrastructure.
The collaboration set forth broad goals to enhance patient engagement, communication and satisfaction, modernise and secure processes, and bolster the clinic’s operational efficiency.
Overcoming traditional hurdles in the 21st century
BCRM relied heavily on paper-based systems and disparate tools for patient communication and data management, leading to inefficiencies and a significant administrative burden. Paul Wilson, BCRM director and lead scientist, highlighted the challenges of managing sensitive information across multiple teams and the necessity for a dedicated staff member to physically manage document logistics within the clinic.
Paul Wilson, said: “We spent an inordinate amount of time tracking down notes within the clinic. The information that we handle, and the complexity of the processes involved means that information moves between the medical, laboratory, nursing and admin teams with processes often running in parallel. It got to the point where we had to employ someone just to run around the building locating notes and delivering them to the different teams as needed.”
The decision to introduce OX.DH’s comprehensive digital platform came from a growing demand for improved patient services and the desire to streamline staff workflows, culminating in the adoption of an electronic patient record system configured for unique needs of the fertility pathway. This move enhanced data management and patient interaction throughout the treatment process, setting a new standard in efficiency and patient engagement within the fertility clinic sector.
Streamlining patient referrals from satellites
Thanks to the new digital platform, BCRM can now accept referrals that include the patient record and full clinical history ensuring accuracy and time saved when the patient first arrives at the clinic. Secure access to this shared record by those involved in the treatment plan for the patient, and the patient themselves, improves transparency and puts the patient at the centre of their own care.
Enhanced data security
The sensitive nature of fertility clinic data prompted BCRM to seek a technology provider capable of delivering a secure, modern platform. OX.DH’s solutions met these stringent requirements, offering a robust framework for data management in compliance with regulatory standards.
User-centric digital transformation
OX.DH’s 100% Azure cloud native solution, OX.ar, was instrumental in digitising the patient care pathway at BCRM. The platform offers a suite of features to improve patient outcomes and staff efficiency, including appointment scheduling, digital consent forms, and a patient portal for direct access to treatment information and results – including native integration with Microsoft products. This integration significantly reduced administrative workloads and facilitated secure, immediate access to patient data. Extensive use of familiar Microsoft 365 applications means that very little training is required for clinic staff or patients.
John Kosobucki, OX.DH CEO, added: “We recognised the investment that Microsoft has been making in cloud and healthcare so they were the obvious partners when we launched. Improving the patient and clinicians experience is always at the forefront of our minds and we design our solutions to be intuitive and all modern accessibility features.”
With records and processes digitised, the team at BCRM have been able to take the data entered into the system and turn it into quality indication measures to continually assess progress within the clinic.
Paul noted: “It would take several hours for the lab team to collate information every month in order to look at outcomes, to make sure that they were where we expected them to be. We can do that now by selecting a date range within the platform, it’s all there for us. We have replaced hours of work with instantaneous live data.”
For staff, the configurability of the solution has been a major bonus. “People can make it work in a way that works well for them,” Paul shares. “We’ve found the OX.DH team very helpful in understanding what we are trying to achieve, and coming up with a solution that helps us do that.”
Staff have also praised OX.ar’s ability to collate information around a patient, so that any relevant member of the team can view communications and correspondence around a particular topic, increasing efficiency and limiting the potential for delays due to lack of information or miscommunication.
Efficient data management and quality indicators
The transition to a digital platform enabled BCRM to efficiently manage and analyse patient data, transforming hours of manual data compilation into instant access to actionable insights. This shift not only improved clinical outcomes but also personalised the staff’s workflow, enhancing overall clinic performance. Paul added that “OX.ar has allowed us to partner with Bristol University for research to improve clinical outcomes.”
Enhancing patient experience through digital access
The introduction of OX.ar provides patients with a secure portal for accessing their medical information, fostering a more transparent and engaged patient-clinic relationship. This access empowers patients with immediate insights into their treatment progress, enhancing the overall experience matching their expectations of a modern digital platform.
Future directions
Collaborations with academic institutions and ongoing refinement of data-driven performance metrics underscore BCRM’s commitment to leveraging technology for continuous improvement and growth.
The positive experience with digitisation and OX.DH has widened BCRM’s horizons in respect to other pathways that could benefit from similar programmes. The real success is that clinic leadership have first-hand experience of what is possible with the right technology and team and reinforces that their decision to invest in digital innovation is delivering more than they anticipated. They are now digital innovators.
This forward-looking approach aims to leverage technology to improve clinic efficiency, patient involvement, and ultimately, treatment success rates.
