What Is Letter Registration  

You can encourage a patient to register by sending them a letter or letter insert to their home address. Registration via letter or letter insert is usually sent with an appointment letter or clinical correspondence. It is highly scalable, allowing you to register a large number of patients simultaneously through mass mailing. 

Why Use Letter Registration 

When an organisation sends a letter to a patient who is actively receiving care, that patient is already engaged in their healthcare journey. Encouraging them to access their letters and health information digitally is a natural and beneficial next step.

Letter registration allows patients to sign up for digital access at key points in their care pathway, such as after a referral, when an appointment is booked, or when receiving clinical or discharge letters. This approach helps patients stay informed and involved in managing their health.

Registration letters can also be issued as a one-off bulk send at any stage of the patient journey, allowing large numbers of patients to sign up at once.

By partnering with hybrid mail providers like Synertec or Xerox, organisations can reduce the cost of postal communications while also supporting the NHS's Green Agenda. For example, see how Swansea approached and achieved this here. 

How

Every letter a patient receives is an opportunity to promote PKB registrations. This can be through:

Organisations can send a stand-alone letter using either of the options above, with a token link or QR code, directing patients to their organisation’s website (e.g., example), where they can register using their NHS login credentials.

These letters, whether insert or stand-alone, can be produced in-house or through an external mailing partner such as Synertec or Xerox. 

As a simple enhancement, organisations can update the footer template on all outgoing letters to include a QR code linking to their website, encouraging patients to register for PKB via NHS Login, an easy and effective way to boost engagement. See screenshot below.

Recommendations To Support Letter Registrations

Using a clear, well-designed letter template can significantly increase patient registrations and reduce queries by effectively explaining the benefits of going digital with PKB.

Key Elements To Include

Printing on high-quality paper

To ensure QR codes and token links scan correctly. Patients have reported issues registering due to poor print quality. A full-colour hospital logo also reassures patients of the letter's authenticity.

Clear long-term benefits

Highlight not just the immediate use of PKB, but your long-term plans for sharing patient data digitally. Patients are accustomed to digital access from banks and retailers; they expect the same from healthcare, even if it's a gradual transition.

Use a photograph and a signature

Include a photo and signature from a local clinical leader, such as the Medical Director or Chief Clinical Information Officer to build trust.

QR code for easy access

Add QR codes (to activate your account at Patients Know Best) that links directly to the PKB registration page. This allows patients to register easily using their smartphone camera. PKB can track the usage of these codes.

FAQs and further information

Include a short FAQ to address common concerns and link to further resources so patients understand why they’re being invited to register and what the benefits are.

Before Launching a Mass Registration Campaign

Don't hesitate to contact your PKB Project Manager for more information about letter invitations.