This coming flu season has been hailed as the ‘biggest ever’, and not without reason. This year will see a coming together of challenges: more people eligible for flu vaccination and continued concerns around a ‘second wave’ of COVID-19. As such, CCGs, STPs, and other regional NHS bodies have been busily planning how best to execute their flu vaccinations this Autumn/Winter.
myGP’s field team has been having varied discussions with customers new and old around what plans they are putting into place to help overcome the difficulties of social distancing and other Government mandates during this time. In some regions there are discussions around ‘drive-thru’ clinics; other areas are thinking of using barcodes.
Some GP practices are simply inviting patients in very small cohorts with designated times to be vaccinated. However, one issue remains for all immunisation teams, regardless of how creative their logistical action plans for administering this year’s ‘jab’: patients still need to be invited to vaccination and reminded to attend it.
A study in the BMJ (Study) which iPLATO contributed to showed that text messaging to invite patients for the flu vaccination increased uptake by 2.62%. Nationally, this would equate to an additional 786,000 more patients having a flu vaccination. Over the years, myGP has helped CCGs deliver flu campaigns through text messaging, secure data messaging on myGP, flu jab appointment booking on myGP specifically for at risk patients and signposting of alternative options on myGP.
What is the difference?
An evidence based multichannel digital engagement campaign to target 90% of the at-risk population.
- Allows invites to be sent at scale through multiple channels
- Reduced practice effort and variation as invites are managed by myGP and not the practice
- Selected patients can book into their appointment directly in the myGP app
- Invites can be sent in multiple languages to multiple selected groups
- Flexible solution to match local strategies and circumstances
- Messaging allows practices to invite patients to their appointment via SMS
- Patients can book into their appointment via the myGP app
- Ability to signpost alternative immunisation options (community pharmacy, etc) on myGP
The importance of administering flu jabs goes without saying under normal circumstances. And this year, given the myriad changes that have been brought about in the wake of COVID-19, the importance has increased exponentially. When that increased level of importance is coupled with the data around the efficacy of SMS reminders, the question no longer becomes ‘IF’ GP practices should adopt a solution like myGP’s Engagement Hub, but ‘WHEN’.
If you’re keen to learn more about our solution, we are hosting a FREE webinar on various dates in August. To register click here
Or if you prefer to read for yourself, here’s a link to our solution paper on the subject
On behalf of the whole team here at iPLATO, we remain, as ever… here to help.
Tobias Alpsten, CEO, iPLATO Healthcare Ltd.
