Patient Engagement Solutions – FAQs

Q1: How do Cabot’s solutions integrate with our existing EHR?
A: We begin with a detailed systems audit to understand your current architecture, interface engines, and data governance policies. Our interoperability framework supports industry standards such as HL7 v2.x, FHIR R4, GP Connect, and openEHR, allowing us to create reusable connectors that exchange demographics, encounters, care plans, and laboratory results in real time. Where legacy systems lack modern APIs, we deploy bespoke middleware that converts flat-file feeds or SOAP endpoints into secure RESTful services. All data transactions are wrapped in TLS 1.3 encryption and validated against your trust’s Master Patient Index to prevent duplication. The result is a bidirectional data flow that gives clinicians up-to-date information inside their native EHR screens while simultaneously populating the patient-facing portal—no swivel-chair required.

Q2: Is the platform compliant with NHS Digital and GDPR?
A: Yes. Compliance is engineered into every layer of the stack. Our architectural blueprints align with NHS Digital’s DSPT requirements, DCB 0129 (Clinical Risk Management) and DCB 0160 (for healthcare providers). We conduct Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) during project discovery and embed Privacy-by-Design principles such as data minimisation and pseudonymisation. Personally identifiable information is encrypted at rest using AES-256 and in transit via TLS. Access is governed by RBAC and MFA, with full audit logs streamed to an immutable SIEM for 8-year retention. Annual penetration tests and quarterly vulnerability scans ensure continuous adherence to Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO 27001 standards.

Q3: What kind of ROI can we expect?
A: While exact figures depend on your baseline metrics, trusts typically achieve a 30–40 % reduction in Did-Not-Attends (DNAs) by leveraging automated reminders and self-service rescheduling. One London-based community clinic saved £220 k annually in admin costs by deflecting 50 % of inbound calls to our secure messaging channel. Hospitals using our Remote Monitoring module have reported a 12 % decline in 30-day readmissions for COPD and CHF cohorts, freeing up bed capacity for higher acuity cases. These operational gains translate into a payback period of 9–14 months, backed by detailed KPI dashboards that tie engagement data to QOF points, CQUIN incentives, and patient experience scores (Friends & Family Test).

Q4: How long does implementation take?
A: A typical deployment follows a staged approach. Phase 1 (Discovery & Prototyping) lasts 2–4 weeks, culminating in a validated clickable prototype and a technical specification pack. Phase 2 (MVP Development) spans 10–12 weeks, during which we build core modules such as appointment management and secure messaging. Phase 3 (Systems Integration & UAT) requires 4–6 weeks for interface testing, clinical safety sign-off, and performance benchmarking. Finally, Phase 4 (Go-Live & Training) rolls out the solution in waves—often starting with a single specialty clinic before scaling trust-wide. Total timeline: 18–24 weeks for full enterprise adoption, though some clients opt for an accelerated 12-week Fast-Track when scope is tightly defined.

Q5: Do you provide post-launch support?
A: Absolutely. Our managed services team operates 24/7 from two geo-redundant Network Operations Centres (NOCs). We offer tiered SLAs—Bronze (next-business-day), Silver (4-hour), and Gold (1-hour critical response)—covering incident management, security patching, and capacity planning. Proactive monitoring via Prometheus and Grafana alerts our engineers to anomalies before they impact users. Quarterly service reviews include penetration-test reports, uptime statistics, and a roadmap of upcoming feature enhancements aligned to NHS Digital’s evolving standards. Optional add-ons include clinical safety officer oversight, content localisation, and integration of new medical device endpoints.

Q6: Can patients access the portal on any device?
A: Yes. The solution is designed with a mobile-first philosophy, utilising responsive web components and native iOS/Android wrappers built in Swift and Kotlin. Pages are optimised for 3G connections to accommodate rural areas and load in under 2 seconds on average. We comply with WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines—providing screen-reader compatibility, high-contrast themes, adjustable font sizes, and keyboard navigation. Offline caching lets users review previously synced documents even without connectivity, and content is available in the 10 most commonly spoken languages in the UK, including Welsh, Urdu, Polish, and Bengali. All sessions employ token-based authentication (OAuth 2.0 with PKCE) to maintain a secure yet frictionless user experience.