iDocs-Thorndike

iDocs Solutions
Thorndike
Medical Centre
works with
iDocs Solutions
to reduce the
burden of data
requests
Subject access requests
(SARs) and other requests for
information such as medical
reports for insurers are “a huge
nuisance, tedious and time
consuming,” according to Dr
Daniel Kerley of Thorndike
Medical Centre in Kent, which
looks after 13,000 patients.
Dr Kerley looked for a digital
solution to minimise the
impact of data requests and
worked with iDocs Solutions
to implement a hardware
and software solution that
streamlines the fulfilment
process across data capture,
processing and compliant
delivery.
iDocs Solutions Ltd | www.idocssolutions.com | 20-22 Wenlock Rd London N1 7GU England | +44 20 3286 5060

The background and burden of data requests
Producing the information required by a data request involves significant work for practices
because each record requires checking to ensure it does not contain details about third
parties.
Respondents to a GPonline/Medeconomics survey said that their practices received, on
average, seven SARs a week – although some received many more. The majority (62%) said
it took them longer than 30 minutes to process a single subject access request, and 18% said
it took longer than an hour. Practice staff members are therefore spending significant time
processing SARs – for which practices receive no funding. Practices also incur the costs of
photocopying, printing and postage.
The British Medical Association (BMA) estimated that in 2019 GPs received 1.25 million SARs.
In addition, hospitals receive 500,000 SARs a year. The number of SARs in both instances has
risen significantly during the 2020-21 pandemic, frequently instigated by lawyers seeking
compensation for their clients.
The Chair of the BMA General Practitioners Council, Dr Richard Vautrey, said: ‘We know from
our members that they are concerned about the increase in SARs since GDPR legislation
came in, and the knock-on effect on both workload and practice finances.”
Thorndike Partnership looks for ways to cut the
time and costs of SARs fulfilment requests
Dr Kerley is committed to improving the patient pathway and takes a keen interest in
technology that improves healthcare systems.
He points out that primary care remains heavily paper based. In order to fulfil requests for
patient records the practice historically had to print, photocopy (in fact, twice!) and manually
redact (remove) content in records page by page. The records of patients with lengthy medical
histories could extend to hundreds of pages, so the effort involved to produce compliant
copies was significant.
The Chair of the BMA General Practitioners Council, Dr Richard Vautrey, said: ‘We know from
our members that they are concerned about the increase in SARs since GDPR legislation
came in, and the knock-on effect on both workload and practice finances.”
2
Thorndike Medical Centre works with iDocs Solutions to reduce the burden of data requests

The practice’s secretarial team was responsible for the redaction process, which would have
to be signed-off by a doctor once completed. Dr Kerley observes that the SARS production
and approval process is a poor fit with general practice work. Requests await fulfilment
until staff can find time to begin processing them, then doctors have to give up time that
they could otherwise spend on patient care in order to read and approve documents prior to
release.
In his efforts to reduce the burden of data requests, Dr Kerley looked for a solution to
capture and redact data, and to generate digital records that could be easily and securely
transmitted electronically.
He also highlighted another system imperative heightened by the introduction of GDPR:
“Security and compliance are important to the practice as we don’t want Thorndike
to become another test case for data breaches, which can result in stiff penalties and
reputational damage.”
Streamlined digital SARs fulfilment
Thorndike
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The new system overcomes issues such as incomplete data masking associated with manual
redaction and also the problem of operator fatigue that naturally occurs with repetitive
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The iDocs redaction solution gives the practice confidence that it can fulfil data requests
efficiently and more comprehensively than when it was using daisy-chained manual
processes.
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3
Thorndike Medical Centre works with iDocs Solutions to reduce the burden of data requests

System training and positive user feedback
It often takes time to embed operational changes, especially when change involves new
technology, which can trouble operators until the technology becomes familiar. However,
Thorndike reports that software installation, hardware implementation and training went
smoothly and system users have no negative feedback. Dr Kerley says, “staff feel trained and
confident.”
The introduction of Fujitsu scanners has proven to be popular and the
fi-7300NX, in particular, is described by the Centre as “a good piece of
kit that is easy to use.”
The fi-7300NX is a fully networkable Image Scanner that supports web
systems and connects directly to client systems. Users can initiate
scanning from the scanner’s touch screen or from applications on
smart devices. The fi-7300NX scans 60 pages a minute and loads up to
80 sheets at a time.
The capability to scan batches of paper documents makes data capture far more efficient and
the practice has since invested in another fi-7300NX for its vaccination centre.
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Potential for further system enhancements
iDocs Bindr® has established roots in the legal sector where leading law firms, such as
Magic Circle firms like Clifford Chance, use the system to collate and transmit sensitive case
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The practice views the iDocs implementation as a gateway system that has the potential
for future enhancements, such as the attachment of DWP forms (Department of Works and
Pensions) and summaries.
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Once the pandemic of 2020-1 eases, the practice and iDocs are also interested in conducting
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4
Thorndike Medical Centre works with iDocs Solutions to reduce the burden of data requests

What positive difference has iDocs Bindr® made?
Dr Kerley reports that, since the introduction of iDocs Bindr®, Thorndike Partnership has
been able to catch up on its post-covid backlog of data requests relatively speedily, and “free
of pain” in comparison with the tedium of manual processes.
He also notes that the practice has not replaced a secretarial position after that staff member
left, which indicates the contribution of iDocs Bindr® to improved levels of efficiency in
aspects of the practice’s administration.
In conclusion, Dr Kerley says that GP practices have generally been a long way ahead in
implementing digital solutions compared with most other medical institutions. Practices
function as small businesses so it is worth medical professionals investing time to explore
iDocs digitisation for its cost savings, compliance confidence and improved service.
The Thorndike Medical Centre is based
in Rochester, Kent, and looks after 13,000
patients.
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scheme in
Kent and has worked as a partner since 2015.
He joined Thorndike surgery as a partner and
GP trainer in 2019.
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solutions for Healthcare, Legal and other
professional service organisations. iDocs
Bindr® applies powerful technology that
creates secure digital bundles, medical
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with ease.
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5
iDocs Solutions Ltd | www.idocssolutions.com | 20-22 Wenlock Rd London N1 7GU England | +44 20 3286 5060