How Adelaide’s First Endoscopy Day Hospital is Navigating Change and Reducing Preadmission Calls by 91%

Northern and Southern Endoscopy, a leading private day hospital specialising in gastroenterological procedures, has spearheaded a digital patient-focused experience to streamline pre-admission processes. 

The initiative, implemented in late 2023, marks a significant leap forward and showcases the clinic's commitment to innovation, efficiency and premier patient care.

As the first stand-alone endoscopic day hospital in South Australia, Northern and Southern Endoscopy faced challenges with admin-heavy processes, including numerous preadmission calls and reliance on paper forms for triage and manual risk screening. Recognising the need for transformative change, the clinic embraced digital patient pathways to enhance the overall patient experience.

Upon referral, patients now receive SMS/email invitations for their digital patient pathways, prompting them to complete pre-clinical health assessments online. 

Kelly Carpenter, Administration Manager at Northern Endoscopy, shares, "this shift has not only reduced the administrative burden but has also paved the way for substantial time savings in nursing and administrative tasks." 

Carpenter added that, "A real-time dashboard ensures automatic clinical screening, providing staff with immediate visibility into patients' risk status through clinical alerts. This allows for quick identification of high-risk patients based on established guidelines. The digital pathway further automates triage, personalised bowel preparation instructions, informed financial consent, and sends patients digital confirmations of their procedure details - all without consuming nursing resources."

(Kelly Carpenter, Business Manager, left, Karen O'Reilly, Business Manager, right)

Impressive Results in the First Two Months

This initiative has not only improved efficiency but has also demonstrated a considerable positive impact on the patient journey. 

"With 82% of patients choosing to adopt the digital pathway alongside their care, and more than 91% of patients confirming their appointments via the digital tool - the system has significantly reduced the need for manual intervention and phone calls for our nursing and administrative staff."

And patients are highly supportive of the experience - with 86% highly recommending the digital experience. 

A Sustainable Solution for Private Healthcare Facilities

As private hospitals and clinics face growing demand and increased administrative burdens, the success of Northern and Southern Endoscopy's digital pathways presents a sustainable and patient-focused solution. By leveraging technology to streamline processes, private facilities can alleviate pressures on clinical and administrative staff, reduce the need for agency staffing, and ultimately enhance the overall quality of patient care.