This release does NOT require an update to the Engage client
Bulk Outbound Patient Messaging (OPM) and Outbound Patient Messaging by SMS
Delighted to announce the release of bulk Outbound Patient Messaging and Outbound Patient Messaging by SMS. The new Bulk Outbound Patient Messaging functionality allows you to message all of your patients using Engage Consult, they don't even have to have an account with you to receive the message however patients will be encouraged to sign up. You can use this functionality for the many campaigns you hold in practice or even just as a general communication platform as you probably do with via alternative providers, the beauty of this feature is that it is all within Engage Consult therefore there is no requirement for multiple solutions and additional costs. SMS is being provided by Firetext and BT/EE who are both trusted and approved supplier to the NHS.
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You can also choose to send questionnaires to your patients via Outbound Patient Messaging. You just need to click into the highlighted box below and you will be presented with questionnaire options.
Coming next and to help you manage responses to your Bulk Outbound Patient Messages we will be enabling Intelligent Message Routing whereby the practice can determine the destination for responses to OPM's. This function can by used by practices who are sending out multiple questionnaires for completion to patients with chronic disease for long term condition monitoring. More details to follow.
Demand Management
We have provided you with an option within my.engage.gp whereby you can limit the number of conditions that a patient can submit on a single medical request. The default setting will be to allow multiple conditions therefore we recommend you review your settings regularly within the Demand Management section to ensure it is in line with your current resource and practice requirements. This is also available for NHS App users.
Couple of important but behind the scenes fixes and changes
NHS app allowed admin requests OOH when practice had disallowed this - Fixed
NHS app users could also skip to the admin route if medical limits had been reached - Fixed
Stop patients from skipping questions where scales and scores are present (NHS App & engage.gp) - Fixed
Fixing the SystmOne open record error
When trying to send an Engage Consult request to SystmOne with the patient record open, SystmOne wont allow the request to be sent and causes an error to be displayed. Unfortunately this is intended behaviour as designed by TPP. Now, when this happens the request will be placed in a queue to be sent. Three attempts to send the request will be made while its in the queue and usually this is enough to add the request to SystmOne. Very occasionally when a request cant be sent from the queue, it will be surfaced as an unattached request which can then be processed manually.