What Is Triage and Why Is It Important?

What Does Triage Mean in Healthcare?

Triage is the process of assessing patient needs and prioritising care based on urgency. Think of it like air traffic control for healthcare—sorting through patient requests and directing individuals to the right service, whether that’s life-saving emergency care, a standard GP consultation, or supportive self-help resources.

For NHS GP practices, triage isn’t just about managing demand; it’s about delivering smarter, faster and fairer care for every patient.

Why Is Triage So Important?

Triage plays a vital role in addressing many challenges in modern healthcare:

• Patient Overload: It ensures that resources go to those who need them most.
• Timely Interventions: Quick access to the right care helps prevent minor issues from escalating.
• Operational Efficiency: It reduces unnecessary appointments, saving time for both staff and patients.

Ultimately, triage paves the way for better care, better outcomes, and improved patient satisfaction.

Digital Triage: The Future of Patient Care

The days of triage being exclusively face-to-face or over the phone are long gone. Modern digital triage solutions—like Hero Health’s Care Navigation—enable patients to submit their requests online and receive personalised responses, often within 24 hours. It’s a nifty way to handle incoming requests without tying up reception staff on the phone.

How Does Digital Triage Work?

1. Submit Symptoms: Patients fill out a short online form detailing their concern.
2. Receive Guided Response: Practice staff review the request and provide the next steps. This might be self-care advice, an online resource, or an in-person appointment if necessary.
3. Book an Appointment: If needed, the patient can book directly into available slots, removing the phone queue hassle.

Benefits of Digital Triage

1. Speed and Efficiency

• Instant Requests: Patients can submit issues anytime, cutting down call congestion.
• Fewer Unnecessary Appointments: By guiding simpler issues online, GP slots open up for urgent cases.

2. Improved Access

• 24/7 Availability: Patients can submit requests whenever it suits them.
• Inclusive Alternatives: Phone or in-person support remains for those not comfortable going digital.

3. Patient Satisfaction

• Convenience: Patients control when and how they reach out.
• Clear Communication: Automated updates mean patients never feel left in the dark.

What Is Total Triage?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many GP practices adopted Total Triage—screening all patient requests remotely before booking them in. Total Triage quickly sorts enquiries and ensures patients receive the right level of care.

How Total Triage Works

1. Patients submit requests online or via phone.
2. The practice team reviews and prioritises inquiries by urgency.
3. Patients are directed to the most suitable care pathway—anything from self-care or pharmacy guidance to a GP appointment.

Fun Fact: By handling minor issues digitally, practices can make real gains in appointment availability. Just think how many hours are spent fielding non-urgent phone calls!

Tips for Implementing Triage in Your Practice

1. Choose the Right Tool

Pick a digital platform like Hero Health’s Care Navigation that integrates seamlessly with EMIS and Systm1. Configuration is simple, and the system scales with your practice.

2. Train Your Team

Make sure staff know how to use new workflows and can explain the benefits to patients—enthusiasm is contagious, after all.

3. Engage Patients

Provide easy-to-follow guides or videos to boost adoption. The more seamless it is for patients, the faster they’ll hop on board.

4. Monitor and Adjust

Look at metrics like appointment demand, response times, and patient feedback. Then, refine your triage pathways so they’re always at their best.

Linking Triage to Care Navigation

If you’d like to delve deeper, we recommend our article What is the difference between triage and care navigation? for a look at how these two processes can dovetail.

Why Choose Hero Health for Triage?

As GP practices modernise, Hero Health stands out with a triage solution built for the future—and at just 45p per patient per annum, it’s kinder on your budget than many competitor platforms.

1. Customisable Triage Pathways

Every practice is different. Configure the triage process to fit your location, patient demographics, and existing workflows.

2. Seamless Integration

Hero is integrated with EMIS and Systm1, reducing double-data entry headaches and allowing quick updates directly to the clinical record.

3. Affordable Pricing

At 45p per patient per year, Hero Health typically comes in 35% cheaper than some big-name rivals. Less cost, more functionality.

Conclusion

Triage isn't just a ‘nice-to-have’; it’s a modern necessity for every NHS GP practice. Properly implemented, triage helps balance demand, cuts administrative chaos, and consistently delivers better patient outcomes.

Want to combine triage with a comprehensive approach to care navigation? Explore our How to implement clinical triage in your GP practice article. And if you’re curious about taking your practice into the digital world, book a call with Hero Health today. Our team will guide you through custom solutions that keep your patients happy and your staff even happier!