With NHS waiting lists in the UK surpassing 7.4 million and missed appointments costing an average of £8.2 million per Trust annually, the need for transformative solutions has never been greater. In response to this growing challenge, Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Foundation Trust took a decisive step forward by implementing EBO’s Automated Waiting List Validation solution.
Here’s how the Trust implemented EBO’s technology to streamline operations, engage patients more effectively, and ultimately reduce its patient waiting list.
How the Solution Works
Patients on the Trust’s waiting list were contacted automatically via SMS, inviting them to engage with MYA, a Virtual Assistant that surfaced on the Trust’s website. Through a friendly and intuitive dialogue, MYA guided patients through a series of questions to confirm whether they still required their appointment.
Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS FT implemented EBO’s technology to streamline operations, engage patients more effectively, and ultimately reduce its patient waiting list backlog. They chose to deploy the stand-alone solution as an initial pilot to manage one tranche of validation, delivering WL validation of their WL in 2 weeks.
Powered by Conversational AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP), EBO’s system communicated directly with patients in real time, listening, understanding, and reporting patient responses. This offered a smarter and more scalable alternative to traditional manual administrative methods.
The EBO AI driven patient interface backed by workflow automation through the EBO platform provided intelligent, two-way natural conversations, reducing administrative burden, and improving the overall patient experience while freeing up appointments.
Results from the Mid Yorkshire Implementation
In one validation cycle, over 5000 patients were contacted. Of those who responded, 13% patients were discharged whilst 81% opted to remain on the waitng list.
In one validation cycle, the Trust achieved:
of patients provided a status update
number of patients in the waiting list
compared to a standard portal
Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust reported a 5% higher response rate from patients compared to previous digital validation methods and patients reported a 90% satisfaction rate with the process.
The Trust’s adoption of EBO’s AI-powered solution marks a pivotal shift toward smarter, efficient patient-centred care.
Why EBO’s Approach Stands Out
As waiting lists continue to grow and NHS Trusts face the need to regularly validate their waiting lists in a scalable manner, innovations like EBO’s platform are essential.
The EBO solution when taken to the next level also integrates with the EPR delivering full automation of continuous validation of patient pathways while keeping patients informed and waiting well where required.
Conversational AI
Engaging with parents in simple, easy-to-understand language.
Rio EPR Integration
Automating data entry and eliminating manual uploads.
Digital Triage
Providing data for a Trust's EPR to automatically triage.
Customisation
Adapting to different vaccination campaigns for increased flexibility.
Accessibility
Providing multi-channel access, including SMS and online forms.
Clinical Safety
Identifying potential duplicate vaccinations based on a patient’s clinical history.
Unlike other digital Waiting List validation solutions, EBO also retains the human touch through natural-language two-way conversations that feel human and supportive for patients while providing unprecedented information to Trusts about the conversations they are having with patients. It pushes structured validation outcome data directly into the EPR providing an end to end solution that reaches out to patients automatically while keeping patient pathway validation data within the EPR.
Built for inclusivity, EBO’s intuitive multilingual capability eliminates common barriers around digital access, language, and literacy. Patients can respond in their own words, on their own terms, ensuring equity in engagement and reducing the risk of being left behind.
Waiting List Validation Solution: A Quality Multiplier for the NHS
Download the guide today to discover how EBO’s intelligent validation platform is helping NHS Trusts transform the way they manage waiting lists – for good.
