Associate feature: Supporting proactive healthcare for women through better access to technology

Women’s health has long been underserved by traditional healthcare models, where reactive care often takes precedence over proactive, preventive measures. Many conditions affecting women are frequently underdiagnosed or mismanaged due to limited research and understanding of them. The problem is further exacerbated by the significant pressures on general practice. By embracing digital technology and proactive primary care models, we can bridge these gaps, ensuring timely intervention, better patient outcomes, and reduced strain on NHS resources.

The Power of Proactive Care in Women’s Health

Proactive healthcare means shifting from reactive treatment of symptoms to early intervention, prevention, and ongoing management of long-term conditions. Research has shown that women often wait years for a diagnosis of endometriosis, enduring significant pain and disruption to daily life. A proactive approach, supported by technology, can improve access to earlier screening, symptom tracking, and specialist referrals, reducing unnecessary suffering and improving quality of life.

Breaking Down Barriers with Better Technology

One of the most significant challenges to proactive primary care is ensuring that women can access the right services at the right time. Many women struggle to get GP appointments due to high demand, inconvenient booking processes, or difficulty navigating the system. Digital technology can play a transformative role in overcoming these obstacles, making primary care more accessible and efficient. 

1. AI-powered navigation. Instead of competing for a limited number of morning appointments, patients can have their symptoms assessed digitally. Urgent cases are appropriately prioritised, and routine concerns are directed to the right clinician or self-care resource. This enhances patient experience and alleviates pressure on GP reception teams.

2. Cloud-Based Telephony and Virtual Consultations. A key barrier to women accessing primary care is the difficulty of fitting appointments around work, childcare, and other responsibilities. Cloud-based telephony systems and virtual consultations offer flexibility, allowing women to connect with their GP via phone or video at times that suit them. This ensures continuity of care while reducing the burden on physical GP surgeries.

3. Automated Reminders and Preventative Screening. Proactive care is only effective if patients engage with it. When this is done right by general practice, it allows the patient to self-serve efficiently, avoiding the need for written letters that give instructions but no convenient mode of action. Automated messaging services can send timely reminders for cervical screenings, mammograms, and contraceptive reviews, improving uptake rates and ensuring that women do not miss critical check-ups. 

Digital tools must be intuitive and user-friendly, helping patients gradually transition to online services rather than excluding those who are less confident using technology. By integrating these tools into a national framework, we can create a system where patients can self-serve for non-urgent needs. This will reduce unnecessary pressure on GP practices and allow clinicians to focus on those who need their expertise most.

A Future Where Women’s Health Comes First

Primary care can play a pivotal role in improving women’s health outcomes by combining proactive care with technology that delivers better access. AI-driven triage, well-considered cloud telephony, and automated reminders offer scalable, cost-effective solutions to many of the challenges facing primary care today. More importantly, they empower women to take control of their health, ensuring that no one is left struggling in silence due to outdated or inefficient systems.

For the NHS, embracing these advancements isn’t just about improving efficiency, it’s about creating a more equitable healthcare system that prioritises the needs of all patients. By investing in proactive care and better access solutions today, we can shape a future where women’s health is no longer sidelined but placed firmly at the heart of primary care.

This article is sponsored by X-on Health.

www.x-on.co.uk/scotland