Aim
To implement a secure, cloud-based messaging platform (Foxo) across key services within Gold Coast Health to streamline patient communication, enhance traceability, and support scalable, sustainable models of care allowing chronic patients to communicate with the service to get information using their mobile devices without waiting on the phone for a long time or travelling.
Outcomes
- Faster triage and resolution of patient and family queries
- Improved visibility, traceability, and documentation of communication
- Reduced phone/email volume and admin burden
- Flagging for billing opportunities via categorised, trackable communication
- Over 700 patients already benefiting, with strong feedback on ease of use
- Scalable model in place, with multiple services already onboarded
Background
Effective communication between patients, families, and clinical services is a cornerstone of safe, timely, and person-centred care. However, many Queensland Health services continue to rely heavily on traditional methods such as phone calls, voicemails, and emails. These channels often lack visibility, auditability, and structure—leading to missed messages, duplication, delayed responses, and significant administrative burden. At Gold Coast Health, increasing service demand, growing complexity in patient needs, and heightened expectations around communication accessibility have further strained existing systems. Families have reported frustration with long phone waits, inconsistent follow-up, and difficulty knowing who to contact and when. Staff, in turn, have faced workflow inefficiencies, communication siloes, and increased risk from undocumented or untraceable interactions.
To address these challenges, Gold Coast Health identified the need for a modern, secure, and structured communication platform that could integrate with existing clinical systems and workflows. The solution needed to be easy to use, auditable, and flexible enough to adapt across services with different communication requirements. Patient Connect from Foxo, a secure, cloud-based messaging platform, was implemented to streamline communication, reduce duplication, and enhance visibility and responsiveness. Initially implemented in Rheumatology, Foxo’s benefits quickly became apparent, prompting expansion into Renal, General Medicine, and now, a staged rollout across the Child Development Service (CDS) and School-Based Youth Health Nurses. With over 700 patients already engaged via the platform and overwhelmingly positive feedback, the initiative is demonstrating value at scale.
