Simplified online booking and pre-appointment paperwork gives Dr Indra more time for patient engagement

At a glance 

Starting her career as a GP, Dr Indra Barathan has been practicing functional medicine for 10 years and opened her own multi-disciplinary specialist practice around eight years ago. “Our work is about getting to the root cause and understanding why people are having the symptoms they’re experiencing.”

The practice offers a mix of virtual clinics and face-to-face appointments in Leeds. Using lifestyle changes, medications and supplements, Dr Indra helps patients bring their bodies back into balance.

The challenge: A user-friendly system built around patient need

Dr Indra sees a range of patients, many of whom have long-term chronic illnesses: “From a symptom perspective, the biggest one we’re dealing with is fatigue, whether that’s chronic fatigue, ME or a thyroid condition.”

Because of this, she required a simple, straightforward process for her patients throughout their entire care journey, from booking appointments to attending follow-ups. “We can’t have a complicated system. It’s got to be accessible so the patient can actually use the service, rather than feel overwhelmed trying to access it.”

This simplicity also needed to stretch to Dr Indra’s staff, which consists of three GPs, a nutritional therapist, health coaches and admin staff. Usability was an issue they’d struggled with using their previous system – the team wanted to be able to access all parts of their practice with ease, with a clear understanding of how it works, avoiding the need for a higher level of IT expertise.

“There’s no fuss for patients – it's easy to book an appointment. To get results, they receive a link that takes them straight to the paperwork. So we can send out communications efficiently through the system.”

Dr Indra Barathan, Founder

“We want to make sure that the level of service we're giving is as efficient as it can be, using technology for the different areas of what the patient needs. That’s one thing we’d been looking for in a practice management system.”

The solution: An all-in-one platform that allows time for patient connection

An easy-to-use system

The simplicity of the user experience for patients was a huge driving force in Dr Indra choosing Semble. “It didn’t have too much for the patient to do. There’s no fuss – it's easy to book an appointment. To get results, they receive a link that takes them straight to the paperwork. So we can send out communications efficiently through the system, and that documentation is logged.”

It’s also been a time-saver for staff, with all paperwork completed in one place. Consultation templates and auto-populating letters significantly reduced the amount of time staff spent on admin. “It’s easy for us to write documents and consultation notes. We can send letters to patients and other GPs effortlessly. And we’re not spending lots of time writing reports and figuring out how to send it.”

“The best part of it is, once we set Semble up, we’ve not had to worry about it. We feel settled in it.”

- Dr Indra Barathan

Improved patient engagement

For Dr Indra, working in functional medicine is about engaging with her patients. “If they feel listened to, they can let go of that stress; they know they’re in a safe space, and we’re going to help them unpick what’s happening for them."

With the typical symptoms Dr Indra sees on a daily basis, a simplified procedure was key for ensuring patients aren’t discouraged by a stressful appointment process. Online booking ensures appointments can be arranged at a time that suits the patient in just a couple of clicks. And if a patient can’t make it to the clinic or prefers a virtual appointment, “they can access a video consultation link without stress.”

One patient testimonial reads: “I feel in control of my health, but knowing I have Dr Indra a phone call away from wherever I am in the world is incredible.”

Automated questionnaires mean Dr Indra can track progress without it impacting a patient's appointment. These questionnaires then automatically pre-populate in the patient file, saving time and avoiding cumbersome paperwork.

Completing these questionnaires beforehand means Dr Indra can do what she does best: listen and connect with her patients. And as for the notes taken during the appointment: “We can document our notes pretty efficiently and send a report out to patients in good time.”

These straightforward and pain-free processes have been essential to the running of Dr Indra’s practice. Having everything within one system means they can concentrate on patient care. “The best part of it is, once we set Semble up, we’ve not had to worry about it. We feel settled in it.”

To find out more about how bookings and questionnaire can help improve your patient engagement, take a look at our dedicated Bookings & Questionnaires page.