New platform gives Star-SHL more efficient way to invite patients

To make things easier for both the GPs and their patients, Star-SHL uses an appointment invitation system. Until recently, the medical diagnostic service provider used a system dating back to 1992 to send out invitations. “Time for an upgrade,” the company decided, which is exactly what happened, with some help from Centric.

A scalable, future-proof platform

Star-SHL’s requirements were crystal clear: the GPs had to be able to personally make adjustments and no longer have to call or send an email to notify of changes, and the company wanted to focus on scalability and future-proofing the platform.

Protocols

Marian de Jong-Mesch from Star-SHL: “Inviting patients to come in for testing may seem simple, but a lot happens behind the scenes. There's an individual medical protocol for each patient, for example, and that protocol can consist of several lab analyses. When a letter is sent out to a patient, for example, the lab needs to be informed of this, and the patients have to be sent to the right remote clinic.”

“I was particularly impressed by how Centric immersed itself in the matter. They proactively considered ways to tailor the platform more precisely to our practices.”

Marian de Jong-Mesch Star-SHL

New features

Centric decided not to rebuild the outdated system, but to develop a completely new platform in Microsoft.NET, including links to the underlying systems of the internal organisation and external stakeholders like GPS, care groups, and remote clinics. “We also developed new functionality, like location determination for example. We demonstrated these features during sprint reviews and video session.”

More effective approach to patient invites

Pilot

Because the platform concerns Star-SHL’s core business, it was decided to pilot the new appointment invitation system at the practices of eleven GPs. “That went very well, thanks in part to the e-learning process. After the pilots were complete, the platform was rolled out to the entire GP network.” What is the biggest gain for Star-SHL? “That would have to be the manner of inviting patients for their appointments: that works very efficiently now. There is now more management information available too, which is very valuable.”