iPLATO text messaging to cover 165,000 patients in Hammersmith & Fulham

In the largest deployment of population-wide mobile healthcare services to date iPLATO announced today that it had signed up 26 doctors’ surgeries in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to its iPLATO Patient Care Messaging service. As a result, over 165,000 patients will be able to interact with their doctors on diverse health related subjects such as appointments, periodic reviews, smoking status, immunisation and invitations to specialist clinics directly via mobile text messaging.

Funded centrally by Hammersmith and Fulham Primary Care Trust the service specifically targets important public health concerns such as smoking, flu + childhood immunisation and obesity. A crucial aspect of delivering these goals is iPLATO’s ability to integrate to multiple GP systems and, therefore, enable surgeries to base their mobile patient services on live data residing in their patients’ electronic records. To achieve optimal uptake the service is free to patients and to participating GP surgeries. As a result of a strong value proposition, a forward looking PCT and quality practice engagement, an overwhelming 90% all surgeries within the Trust signed up to the iPLATO service over a two month sign-up period in the beginning of the summer.

Dr Aras, a Fulham GP and one of many who have signed up to Patient Care Messaging has said, “In our area the majority of people have mobile phones, and unlike an answer machine at home or work a text message to a personal mobile will get the correct person and with privacy.” On the ability to send appointment reminders to patients Dr Aras added that, “Even if people can’t attend an appointment the new system gives them a quick and easy way to cancel by return text, which lets us offer the slot to someone else.”

Tobias Alpsten, Managing Director of iPLATO, said: “Hammersmith and Fulham PCT have been unprecedented in their approach to rolling out Patient Care Messaging. It is the largest population-wide deployment to date and will underpin improved efficiency, improved marketing of NHS services and large scale telehealth services to 90% of the residents. This success is down to a visionary PCT, open minded GPs and practice managers. It also highlights iPLATO’s ability to balance interests from various groups to make service improvement reality in primary care.”

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Notes for Editors:

About Hammersmith and Fulham PCT

Hammersmith and Fulham Primary Care Trust (PCT) is the NHS organisation responsible for providing and commissioning healthcare for people living and working in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Our aim is to improve the health of local residents by providing access to high quality health services and encouraging people to make healthy lifestyle choices (for example stopping smoking, eating a healthy diet and taking regular exercise).

All media enquiries should be directed to the Press and Communications department on:
tel: 020 8846 6572
fax: 020 8846 7961
tom.stevenson@hf-pct.nhs.uk

About iPLATO

iPLATO is a privately owned limited company founded in London in the autumn of 1999. In 2003, iPLATO was awarded a SMART Feasibility Grant by the Department of Trade & Industry to study the feasibility for national implementation of a system to remind outpatients about scheduled appointments using text messaging technology.

Since completing the study, the company has invested substantial resources towards overcoming the barriers to entry of the healthcare market and now provides successful healthcare solutions to NHS organisations throughout the United Kingdom - building a promising business around its flagship service ‘Patient Care Messaging’.

The European Venture Contest, organised by the European Commission, recognised iPLATO as one of the top ten early stage technology ventures ready to “reshape their industry and to conquer the global market” and featured on the Red Herring Europe Top 200 of companies to watch in 2006. iPLATO began 2008 with extensive (PCT funded) roll out of Patient Care Messaging to GP surgeries across 10 Primary Care Trusts.

Press contact:

Julia Hanley
020 3178 4676
julia.hanley@iplato.net 
One Lyric Square,  W6 0NB, London, United Kingdom
www.iplato.net 
Pictures available on request