The UK’s Moorfields Eye Hospital has rolled out an ambitious digital programme to give patients access to vital eye care without travelling to hospital.
Following a successful trial of its virtual clinic after the UK increased lockdown measures in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Moorfields now hosts more than 600 video appointments a week. Almost 80% of patients now receive the treatment they need without travelling into hospital, said Britain’s flagship eye hospital.
Typically, patients see an A&E doctor within one minute of logging on to the platform. It has a virtual waiting room where a ‘virtual receptionist’ prioritises patients and directs them to the correct service. “This service has enabled Moorfields to offer emergency eye care services across more areas of London than before,” said paediatric ophthalmologist Dr Peter Thomas, Moorfields’ director of digital innovation. “Necessity has forced us to approach problems in new ways and this is a great example of how we can utilise technology to provide a rapid solution.”
