Implementation of E-POS for the intake of new patients

Het Heelkunde Instituut is a Dutch clinic focusing on gallbladder surgery and inguinal hernias. One of the clinic's distinguishing features is its short waiting list. The clinic achieves this because efficiency and automation are among its core priorities.  

For this reason, Het Heelkunde Instituut chose to automate not only the preoperative pathway but also the intake screening of patients. 

 This works as follows: 

1. Patients register with Het Heelkunde Instituut via the website or care coordinator. Afterward, the patient receives a user-friendly online questionnaire. 
2. Once the questionnaire is completed, the E-POS algorithm generates a report for the physician containing the ASA classification, contraindications, and required follow-up examinations. 
3. If the patient falls within the surgical scope, they are invited for a follow-up consultation.
4. If the patient does not meet the criteria, Het Heelkunde Instituut can refer the patient accordingly. 
5. Patients who are cleared for surgery at this stage do not need to fill out another preoperative questionnaire. 

By deploying the software, patients no longer need to make unnecessary visits to the clinic and are promptly informed of the next steps.

Implementation of E-POS for triage during walk-in hours

Bergman Clinics is one of the largest focused clinics in the Netherlands, providing care across more than 75 locations. By offering specialized, elective care that is typically covered by health insurers, patients can be treated quickly and accessibly. 

Bergman Clinics focuses strongly on patient-friendliness. For instance, Bergman Naarden (orthopedic care) utilizes a One-Stop-Shop model. This means that once a patient receives an indication for surgery, they can immediately undergo a preoperative screening by an anesthesia assistant. In most cases, the patient can be cleared for surgery right away.

To make this workflow even more patient-friendly, Bergman Clinics in Naarden uses E-POS to facilitate their walk-in clinic.

E-POS in combination with the walk-in clinic works as follows:

1. Once a patient receives an indication for surgery, they proceed to a waiting area where they can complete the E-POS questionnaire on a tablet.

2. When the tablet is handed back to the reception staff, E-POS indicates whether the patient should proceed to the blood-draw room and the POS consultation. In other cases, the patient is informed that they can go home and will be called later with additional preoperative questions.

3. During the consultation, the anesthesia assistant has all relevant information at hand to immediately ask any supplementary questions. Furthermore, E-POS has already informed patients about fasting guidelines and applicable anesthesia techniques.

4. Afterward, the patient can complete the E-POS questionnaire on a tablet in the waiting area. By completing this questionnaire, the physician immediately receives all relevant health information while the patient is still on-site.

This workflow saves time for both the patient and the healthcare provider. In addition, patients have a clearer understanding of what is expected of them during the consultation and preoperative pathway.

All in all, then, the use of the E-POS questionnaire at Bergman Clinics Movement offers many advantages for both the patient and the physician. Through this efficient method of working, the health status is mapped more quickly and effectively and preparations for the OR can begin immediately.

Implementation of E-POS for remote patient screening from home.

Another clinic utilizing E-POS to optimize the POS process is FlexClinics. FlexClinics specializes in both orthopedic and plastic surgery procedures. This clinic distinguishes itself by intentionally maintaining a small scale.

As a result, FlexClinics maintains close communication channels with the patient and provides the opportunity to undergo surgery in a pleasant environment.

At the start of the clinic's establishment, Peter van Aggelen, anesthesiologist & owner, chose to thoroughly examine all critical business processes immediately. The POS process is part of this.

Patients undergoing surgery at FlexClinics use NovaCair's preoperative screening software.

At FlexClinics, this works as follows:

1.    Once a patient has received an indication for surgery, they may go home. Here, they can comfortably complete the online questionnaire and watch the informational videos in a familiar environment.  

2.    After the questionnaire is completed, the anesthesiologist reviews the report and triage advice via a task in the EHR. In most cases, patients are called for follow-up questions.

3.    After the screening is finalized, E-POS automatically generates a health status summary used on the day of surgery. This provides the specialist with a complete health overview without requiring extensive administration.

This approach saves the patient unnecessary travel and creates a secure way for the clinic to prepare the patient for surgery.

What are the benefits of E-POS for clinics?  

First, it provides clinics with satisfied patients. The patient experiences the process as pleasant and comfortable because they can complete everything digitally from an appropriate (home) environment. Additionally, patients avoid extra travel time when unnecessary.

For clinics, E-POS offers an enhanced patient experience and extra service. E-POS also helps clinics schedule their agendas realistically by determining the time indication and type of follow-up consultation in advance. Because you gain complete insight into the health status prior to the initial consultation, you can tailor the planning per patient.

Finally, a clinic saves costs by automating the preoperative intake process. Since clinics classify patients into ASA 1 & 2, the need for physical consultations is significantly reduced. In many cases, an outpatient consultation is no longer necessary. The consultations that do take place run much more efficiently.