What is the Difference Between Triage and Care Navigation?

With supply and demand completely imbalanced in NHS primary care, providers are being encouraged to use triage and care navigation - but what is the difference between these concepts? While both processes aim to enhance patient care, they differ significantly in purpose, scope, and functionality.

In this article, we’ll break down the differences between triage and care navigation and explore how combining these processes with a solution like Hero Health can streamline healthcare delivery for patients and providers alike.

What Is Triage?

Triage is the process of assessing a patient's health concerns to determine the urgency of their needs. It typically involves:

Key Features of Triage:

• Assessment of Urgency: Identifying whether a patient’s condition requires immediate attention or can be handled later.
• Prioritization: Sorting patients based on the severity of their symptoms.
• Direction to Appropriate Care: Guiding patients to the right service, such as a same-day appointment, a phone consultation, or a routine visit.

Triage focuses on quick decision-making to ensure that patients in urgent need are attended to first. In digital healthcare, this is often facilitated through online tools, where patients submit information about their symptoms via forms or questionnaires. Providers can review this data and respond accordingly.

What is Total Triage?

Total triage is the application of a triage model for all inbound patient queries into a practice. Whether submitted online, over the phone or in person, requests are funneled through a triage tool and reviewed collectively.

What Is Care Navigation?

Care navigation takes a broader approach. Rather than just assessing urgency, it helps patients move smoothly through the healthcare system. Care navigation emphasizes ensuring that patients access the right service at the right time, whether it’s a GP appointment, a specialist referral, or community support.

Key Features of Care Navigation:

• Guided Support: Helping patients understand their options and guiding them through the healthcare process.
• Resource Allocation: Connecting patients to the right clinician, department, or external service.
• Proactive Management: In some cases, care navigation involves follow-ups to ensure patients complete their care pathway.

Unlike triage, which focuses on immediate needs, care navigation has a more holistic perspective, ensuring long-term patient satisfaction and optimal resource utilization.

Key Differences Between Triage and Care Navigation

The Power of Combining Triage and Care Navigation

Modern healthcare requires solutions that integrate both triage and care navigation. This ensures that patients not only receive timely attention but also feel supported throughout their care journey.

Hero Health: The Best of Both Worlds

Hero Health offers a digital care navigation and triage solution that brings together the strengths of both approaches.

Why Hero Health Stands Out:

• Customizable Triage: Patients submit detailed information about their symptoms, which providers can quickly assess to prioritize urgent needs.
• Integrated Navigation: The platform guides patients to the right clinician, appointment type, or external resource with minimal effort.
• Appointment Booking: Patients can book directly via the platform, saving time for both staff and patients.
• PCN and ICB Support: Hero Health’s tools extend beyond individual practices, facilitating seamless cross-practice workflows within networks.
• Signposting: Pointing patients to relevant self-help, digital theraputics and commissioned services, where relevant for patients

At just 45p per patient, Hero Health offers a cost-effective way for practices to combine triage and care navigation into one streamlined process.

Conclusion

Triage and care navigation are distinct but complementary processes. While triage ensures patients are seen in order of urgency, care navigation focuses on guiding them through their healthcare journey. By combining these processes into a single solution, Hero Health helps practices enhance efficiency, patient satisfaction, and resource management.

If you’re ready to streamline your patient care with an affordable, integrated solution, Hero Health might just be the game-changer your practice needs.

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