Compass House Surgery, located in the picturesque fishing village of Brixham, Devon, serves a diverse community with a broad spectrum of socioeconomic backgrounds. The practice caters to over 15,500 patients across three sites, with a significant focus on elderly care due to the area's demographic. The team is committed to using advanced technology to improve patient care and optimise practice efficiency. We spoke to Ian Parsonage, Nurse Partner and Lead Advanced Care Practitioner, about their journey. ...
Challenges
Despite their best efforts to be forward-thinking and efficient, Compass House Surgery faced increasing challenges related to workload and administrative tasks. As the practice grew, so did the pressure on clinicians, leading to longer hours and heightened stress, particularly with the growing need for comprehensive documentation.
Clinicians found themselves having to balance administrative demands with patient care, often at the expense of their own time and well-being.
Overwhelming admin and extended hours
"At the end of the day, you’re generally a lot more tired, yet I would stay over an hour late, going through documents, writing referrals... I’d have 10-15 referrals, bloods and my admin to do. It was difficult to manage," says Ian.
Limited time for patient interaction
The constant trade-off between thorough documentation and giving patients the attention they deserve was taking its toll.
"With the workload pressure, I often had no brain capacity in that space during clinic, so I had to leave the documentation to the end of the day, but by then, I was exhausted."
Priding themselves on delivering exceptional patient care, they needed a more sustainable solution.
The strain on clinician well-being
With every delayed note or referral letter, the backlog grew, and the pressure mounted.
"It seems like a really good idea at the time... but when you get to the end of the day, you're tired, hungry and want to go home. It creates a lot of stress and burnout."
For Ian and his colleagues, this was an ongoing issue. Despite efforts to streamline processes, the weight of administrative tasks kept them working late into the evening, impacting their work-life balance—until they discovered Heidi.
Solution
Heidi entered the picture as a game-changer for Compass House Surgery. After trialling Heidi at home, Ian and his colleagues quickly realised the potential it held. The AI-driven scribe technology not only automated referrals and documentation but also created a smoother workflow during patient consultations.
“I remember when my pharmacist and my ACP started using it... they called me in the middle of my clinic to tell me how much of a difference it made in their day."
Heidi was adopted across the entire practice, from GPs to allied health professionals like physiotherapists and pharmacists. The team utilised the singular template for consistency, and even used Heidi to improve their telephone consultation skills by reflecting back to patients what they were saying.
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Impact
The impact of Heidi at Compass House Surgery has been remarkable, both for clinicians and patients. Clinicians have been able to reduce administrative tasks and create more time for patient interactions. Work-life balance has improved, with Ian even arriving home earlier some days.
"My wife has noticed that I have arrived home earlier sometimes, which is a bit of a shock for her... It’s really good, because I have more time to focus on what matters and improve patient care."
Key outcomes
Reduced administrative workload by up to 60%, giving clinicians more time for patient care and personal activities.
Enhanced consultation quality through more focused, attentive patient interactions.
Improved morale across the team, with a noticeable reduction in burnout and stress.
Streamlined documentation
"With Heidi, I no longer need to stay late for referrals. I can quickly generate comprehensive documents and pass them off to the admin team."
Enhancing patient interactions and consultation quality
"Heidi’s automation frees up time during consultations, allowing me to focus on building rapport with patients and even engaging in health promotion work."
Regaining headspace to grow without burning out
"I can now take on additional projects that I wouldn’t have had the energy or time for before. It’s given me the headspace to improve the practice overall."
Unexpected benefit
"We’ve started using Heidi for telephone triage, which has really improved the quality of consultations. The patients think I’m being extra attentive, which is a real win."
Ian Parsonage
What’s next
With Heidi now integrated into their daily workflows, Compass House Surgery is continuing to explore new ways to leverage the tool. The team plans to extend its use to social prescribing link workers and care support staff, further improving patient care across the board.
"It’s really about embracing it. Start simple, get comfortable with it, and then expand it across your practice.”
Ian believes that Heidi has fundamentally changed the way the team works, and it’s allowing them to push the boundaries of what’s possible in healthcare.
“The more you use it, the more it benefits your team and patients."
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