In an article for Healthcare Today Feedback Medical CEO Dr Tom Oakley outlines a new vision for NHS outpatient care, replacing decades-old processes with a patient-centred, digital-first approach. The straight-to-test model flips the traditional pathway, starting with diagnostics before specialist appointments.
Early results from the breathlessness pathway in Sussex show the impact: referral to treatment wait times cut by 63% compared to the national average, consultation times reduced to under 10 minutes, and 90% of breathlessness patients managed without hospital outpatient visits. By integrating diagnostics, enabling asynchronous collaboration between GPs and specialists, and focusing on neighbourhood-level care, the model promises shorter waits, better patient experiences, and over £40 million in potential annual savings per pathway.
The challenge now is scaling the approach nationwide, requiring leadership, cultural change, and investment in connected digital infrastructure.