Switching from paper forms to digital consent could bring big benefits to patients, improve safety and increase productivity if adopted more widely across the NHS, according to a new study.
Results from an impact assessment carried out in two NHS trusts by Health Innovation Oxford and Thames Valley demonstrated strong support for wider use of digital tools to obtain informed consent in the NHS.
The evaluation focused on deployment of the Concentric digital consent tool in obstetrics and gynaecology at Buckinghamshire Healthcare and in ophthalmology at Oxford University Hospitals.
Key findings included:
- Operational efficiency – digital consent reduced time per episode by more than seven minutes at OUH, streamlining clinic workflows and increasing patient throughput
- Cost savings – With an average of 825 consent episodes per month in the ophthalmology pathway, the Concentric digital system is projected to save £5.64 per consent episode, leading to a total projected cost saving of £167,437 over three years at OUH
- Medicolegal risk reduction – Fewer incomplete or lost forms reducing the risk of litigation
- Patient-centred care – Patients can review consent forms at home, supporting shared decision-making, improving satisfaction and experience and benefiting the environment
The impact assessment was commissioned by the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB) through the national Health Technology Adoption and Accelerator Fund (HTAAF).
Henry Wright, Head of Digital Transformation at BOB ICB, said: “We commissioned HIOTV to do an evidence-based evaluation of the nationally funded roll out of Concentric in OUH and BHT. Thanks to their evidence we can see the technology has firmly proven itself at scale across our region.”
Dr James Rose, Director of Strategic and Industry Partnerships at HIOTV, said: “The findings offer further supportive evidence for the value of digital consent, reinforcing its potential to improve the efficiency of elective care pathways, support elective recovery and make better use of our stretched clinical workforce. This aligns with wider ambitions to digitise frontline services in a way that benefits both patients and staff.”
Dr Dafydd Loughran, Co-founder and CEO, Concentric Health, said: “We’re hugely appreciative of the work that’s gone into this evaluation — the most in-depth analysis to date of digital consent’s impact within the NHS. By exploring cost-effectiveness, efficiency and user acceptance across two distinct trusts and specialties the findings carry real weight for others looking to follow suit. As the evaluation states, this serves as a blueprint for future digital transformation efforts.”