What is Email Registration  

Email registration adds a patient's personal email address to their PKB record, either manually or through an integration feed. Once added, the patient receives an email invitation from PKB, sent on behalf of the organisation, inviting them to complete their registration.

Why Use Emails

Email addresses are needed so patients can access their PKB records. Email registration is an easy, scalable, and free way to register patients at a certain point in their care or en masse. 

How To Use Emails 

Organisations can add email addresses to the patient PKB records in the following ways.

HL7 Demographic Feed

Using the HL7 demographic feed, the patient's email address in PAS is automatically added to the PKB record during PKB record creation, thus inviting the patient to register for PKB. 

Manual Entry

Manually enter an email address into the patient PKB record at any touch point during their healthcare journey.

CSV Uploads

Include email addresses when uploading a CSV of patients to a PKB team.

Patient Self-Registration

Encouraging patients to self-register with their NHS APP/Login Credentials.

Boost Registrations 

Increasing the number of patient email addresses collected can help drive higher registration rates through a variety of methods:

Add emails during clinic appointment

• The reception team or clinical staff can obtain emails when confirming patient demographics. Once updated in the organisation system, patients will be invited to register for PKB.

• Alternatively, add the email to the patient's PKB record when no integration feed is available.

Via check-in Kiosks

• Direct integration with the organisation PAS can pull email addresses updated from Kiosk check-ins and add them to PKB via the HL7 demographic feed.

During phone appointments

• Automate answer message explaining appointments/letters can be accessed via PKB (or NHS APP)

  • Add email into PAS or directly into PKB record during phone call. 

Promote PKB on hospital website and WIFI 

• Adding a link to register for PKB on the organisation's website can allow patients to register using NHS Login. 

  • Use patients WIFI login screens to promote PKB and use NHS Login credentials to register for PKB.

Communications and marketing

• Have QR codes on posters, leaflets, banners and TV screens at every touch point of the hospital, allowing patients to read about the benefits of PKB and how to register. 

Maximising Registrations Across Touchpoints

All the suggestions above can be seamlessly integrated into an organisation's daily operations to boost patient registrations at every interaction point. In addition to these ongoing efforts, there are several effective ways to send bulk or en masse email invitations to unregistered patients in PKB:

Unregistered patients with emails on record

If your organisation receives email addresses via the HL7 email feed, patients may have been invited to register at various points in their healthcare journey. Some may not have chosen to register at that time for multiple reasons.

To revite these patients, the organisation can:

• Extract a CSV file of all patients with email addresses currently in PKB.

• Re-upload this list to generate fresh email invitations.

For more targeted outreach, you can ask your Success PM to generate a CSV file of unregistered patients with upcoming appointments. These patients are typically more engaged and likely to register when prompted.

Use check-in kiosk data

If your organisation does not have a direct feed into PKB but collects email addresses via a check-in kiosk, you can:

• Perform a regular manual CSV extract of the kiosk data.

• Cleanse the data as needed.

• Upload it directly into PKB to generate email invitations.

This method provides a quick and efficient way to carry out mass registration campaigns.

Partnering with local GP surgeries

If your organisation is not spine-connected, consider collaborating with local GP practices. GP surgeries in England have many verified patient email addresses, collected mainly during the 2015 Patient Online Programme.

By coordinating with GP's:

• You can access a valuable source of verified emails for patients receiving shared care between hospitals and primary care.

• Depending on your needs, this data can be uploaded to PKB as a one-time or regular CSV upload.

Contact your PKB Success PM for more advice or information on registering your patients.