Read Mumsnet users feedback on isoshealth

[YanaMumsnet]

This is the feedback thread for the 50 testers who tried out isoshealth. Testers booked in one-to-one video appointments with Registered Practitioners, focusing on mind, body or nutrition.

Here’s what isoshealth CEO has to say about their service:
“40 % of recorded deaths in UK are Lifestyle related, 1 in 3 of our secondary school of age 10-11 children are obese or overweight. Access to these services through NHS are shrinking. We are a business that believes in human conversations making the most difference.
We connect consumers with our hand-picked practitioners who want to help them feel better via one-to-one video consultations. An integrated team providing advice precisely tailored to their individual life circumstances.
This personalised approach breaks down the barriers that hold so many people back from getting the help they need. We give everyone the opportunity to benefit from the proven winning-formula of a multidisciplinary team, the same approach that get results in the world of professional sport: a Dietitian, Physiotherapist and Psychologist.”

Testers please answer the following questions:

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)
• What did you like the most about using this product?
• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?
• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?
• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.
• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

For privacy reasons, please do not give the names of individual practitioners when giving your feedback.

Selected testers will be required to leave their feedback on a thread on Mumsnet. All who give their feedback will be entered into a prize draw where one tester will win a £300 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

Registration was easy for me as was booking appointments. Website looked fine.

• What did you like the most about using this product?

Had 3 trial sessions of 30 mins - all very nice and professional. The one on diet gave useful tips on how to get vitamins in your diet naturally and considered what I eat. The physio was lovely and very helpful advice on exercising and what might suit me. CBT session was fine but only time for an assessment of issues / background which is normal but hard to evaluate.

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

The technology - it wasn't obvious how to end call so kept saying call hadn't occurred.

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

Wasn't totally sure before what physio session would be. Made me consider some things I hadn't thought about like yoga and fine to do exercise in short bursts and listen to body.

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

4 would recommend but needs technology improving to make flawless.

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

People needing support to lose weight via exercise and diet - only thing would be wary of is people with eating disorders. Mental health might be better as standalone rather than all 3 at once but maybe that's an option. Potentially good for people with mental health issue if no eating disorders. Mental health and exercise is good combination.

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

Very easy to register, straight forward to book, unfortunately I did miss an appointment but rescheduled easily. The layouts great, very easy to navigate and find what I needed

• What did you like the most about using this product?

The human interaction, there are so many box standard apps that are robots, you input variables and they throw out crazy unrealistic goals for you to try maintain which become impossible and you become deflated. This way someone is asking you questions based upon your answers from previous questions and not just shoving you into tick boxes

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

Theres nothing that sticks out as needing improvement, all I think may need tweaking is the price, as after my chat, being encouraged to now do a few more sessions will set me back over £100, which is alot when you have to live also

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

I was really happy to find a normal person that could understand what I was saying, what I was concerned about, what I was unhappy about and she actually made me think of things that I had overlooked but made so much sense!

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

5, very likely, in actual fact I called my mum straight after and said how amazing the lady I had spoken to was and how helpful she had been!

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

I believe the people most likely to benefit from this would be maybe people who don't have enough time in their day to have a gp/dietician appointment or even someone that may be a bit embarrassed to talk to someone face to face about problems. I know that's exactly why I applied to take part, my weight is alot more than I would like and I feel awful talking to someone face to face about how I feel and look, but the lady I had my appointment with, she was soooo lovely and really helped me think about things

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

Fairly difficult to use. The website cannot be used on mobile (android) as it doesn't have any log in link from the mobile site. The log in is also awkward as you are emailed a code rather than just using a password.

Appointments are supposed to be available 7am-9pm every day. Actual availability depends on the practitioner you're given. Mine is available 1-3 on Wednesdays and slightly longer on Thursdays. This is useless to me so I am unable to make an appointment. You can't change practitioner unless you sign up with a new email address and fill out all the survey again.

• What did you like the most about using this product?

Nothing. I haven't used it so it's just been a waste of time.

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

Better availability of practicioners, and being more upfront about this rather than hiding it until after you're committed.

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

How terrible it all was. I thought this would be a decent company who wanted to advertise their services, but I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

1. I've put in a lot of effort filling in the survey and signing up only to find that it was a waste of time as they've misadvertised the product.

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

Someone who had loads of time and money to waste and didn't want to get anything out of it.

What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

Spelling and grammar errors on the website. You can't create a log in for the website so have to enter your email address, then access your email to get a code to enter every time you need to access the "dashboard" to attend appointments, book appointments, read your notes etc. Confusing at first and time consuming. The time slots dont seem to correspond to what the practitioners can actually do, two out of three practitioners had to ask me to rebook as they couldn't actually do the appointments shown as free on their timetables. Another website error! I didn't like being asked to choose a "team" of practitioners and would prefer to book individual practitioners who I thought sounded a good fit with my needs.

• What did you like the most about using this product?

Once logged in it was very easy to find out how to access the appointment and do the video call. Video and sound worked well. All practitioners were on time. I liked being able to fit it in around my life, choosing appointment times in the evening after work. Practitioners very knowledgeable and professional and gave me some brilliant advice which I felt I could trust. They were absolutely brilliant.

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

Appointment times shown need to correspond to what the practitioners can actually do!

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

Quality of practitioners was brilliant, so professional and friendly and happy to discuss what I wanted. Felt very confident in their advice

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

4 loved using this service and may well book another appointment with one of the practitioners who was so extremely helpful. They are very knowledgeable.

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

Someone poor on time but with an interest in health and wellbeing. For me I felt like it was a good chance to discuss things that weren't pressing enough to go to my gp about, but which will definitely help me to make improvements to my everyday life.

Thanks for letting me product test I really enjoyed it and the practitioners are amazing and the customer service was excellent too.

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

Initially I thought he service looked great. Quite thorough and easy enough to book in.

• What did you like the most about using this product?

Absolutely nothing.

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

I would have someone you could contact on a weekend. My video call never even connected even though I followed all steps. I had to cancel the service 15 minutes after the initial agreed time and then received an email saying I never even turned up for my appointment which I wasn't happy with.

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

How bad the service was:

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

1. I didn't even get my appointment. Plenty of follow up calls and emails to find out what happened but I wasn't able to rearrange or resolve this. Very poor service.

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

Someone with plenty of time and money to waste.

What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

Very impressed with the concept. It ‘sounds’ so easy and uncomplicated. Nice looking website although I would say it would help if it was made clearer ‘how’ the chat would take place. I was thinking it was by Skype but in fact it was via the actual website.

• What did you like the most about using this product?

Sadly nothing.

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

More variety of consultants/docs/therapists etc - the selection there now isn’t sufficient ( for me ) I felt I was given the option of an unsuitable therapist.

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

I’d expected some help in the first consultation after completing a in depth application- in fact I didn’t get any help only asked if I wanted to book more sessions and what frustrated me the most was my therapist said she would send me some information on CBT - and never did. I had expressed that it had not worked for me before but said I’d be prepared to read it and consider it seriously as she seemed very nice - sadly she never bothered to send me nothing which made me feel she really didn’t care about me or felt I was a hopeless case! ....anyway I also think tbh....my isssues require far more help than CBT...to suggest that it IS suitable is a little annoying as I’m sure it would be an incredibly expensive course of therapy when if I was offered a hypnotherapist eg it would be a shorted course. Just my opinion.

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend?

For something like nutritional advice yes I’d recommend it. For life coaching etc. Anything serious like mental health I would absolutely not recommend I’m afraid.

Please tell us why is that.

Asking a website to decide who you should speak too about mental health issues / anxiety etc when it has a limited number of therapists is a bit like picking the best of a bad bunch. You might require someone who is a psychotherapist but they only ‘have’ a CDT therapist ...if y0u are overweight I’m sure they will have a few nutritionists to choose from but for sever anxiety or phobias CBT may not be suitable but that’s all they might offer. I just think it’s n-it good enough and dangerous plus expensive for the client paying for unsuitable treatment.

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

Busy working people who need someone to tell them how to improve their eating/sleeping/exercise regimes. Diet and nutrition advice / life and work goals / motivational boost / confidence etc. Minor anxiety but if they want to offer a ‘full’ service they really need more therapists with a broader range of experience so that clients get the right therapist and therefore the RIGHT course of treatment and not just a ‘course with anyone’ in order to make a profit.

Apologies for typos!
On a scale of 1-5

Firstly thank you for the opportunity to test this service, it's a great idea. The below possibly sounds pretty scathing but hoping it's useful feedback to help improve the service before it's released. I enjoyed my session as a freebie but really wouldn’t be happy with the service at all if I'd paid for it.

Unfortunately my sports practitioner has asked to reschedule my session until after the 16th August deadline and my mental health session practitioner doesn't appear to have any availability in August at all so I'm basing this on the one session I did manage to have (dietician).

What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)
I'm guessing (hoping) this service is still in the very early stages of testing as the site still looks very much like it's in development.

The process of having to get a code sent to your email to log in is frustrating, but tolerable.

The actual booking of appointments is mostly ok and quite intuitive but appointment availability is pretty poor as per the above.

The check you need to run before the call works reports errors in a very techy way and is hard to understand. I had to switch to a different computer where it did work, but not surprised other people weren't able to get in at all.

What did you like the most about using this product?
Being able to have a consultation from home.

If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?
Practitioner availability.

What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?
The dietician I spoke to was really good but seemed uncomfortable with the video call format and a bit rushed. I'd expected a bit of intro to the session and what was going to happen but we just dived in. I guess the 30 minute time pressure contributed to this.

I don’t want to be rude as she was lovely but the whole experience didn't feel very slick or professional, which is fine for a freebie but not fine for the full price of the service.

On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.
1 - In it's current format I wouldn't recommend anyone pay for this service.

The availability of practitioners is very poor. The quality of the session I did have was ok but certainly wouldn't recommend a friend pay £40 per session. I could pay £30 per hour to meet a practitioner with similar qualifications face to face where I live (West Yorkshire). The ease of booking out of hours and doing this online doesn't outweigh the poor experience the current service offers.

My practitioner wasn't able to send my session notes after the call and I still haven’t received these.

I understand to make this work practitioners will need to work from home but the set-up just didn't seem very professional. Better quality video, proper lighting, some sort of backdrop might help? I’m aware that sounds a bit picky but for the price it’s what I’d expect.

Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?
As it is currently - nobody (sorry). The concept is great but the experience isn't worth the price it's being sold for.

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

Registering was easy as was booking the appointment. The emails following booking contained clear instructions on how to log in to the online call. The dashboard was clean and clear, it was easy to follow the onscreen instructions to join the chat. The practitioner also pointed out at the start of the session that if the screen chat failed we could still chat via the message icon under the video call screen.

• What did you like the most about using this product?

I could fit the appointment into my working day and around the children. No travelling involved and it was a positive experience as I was in my own surroundings.

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

If the service could narrow down exactly what you want/need to talk about from the initial questionnaire so you speak to the correct practitioner initially and identify if you would benefit from speaking to other professionals such as the nutritional therapist.

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

I was pleasantly surprised that it was easy to access the appointment. The practitioner was knowledgeable and able to assist me within my thirty minute appointment.

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

I would recommend this product to a friend, particularly if they would struggle to find time to visit a practitioner in person due to family, work or time restrictions. (4)

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

People who are time poor or who cannot find a practitioner that they can see in person. It is not inexpensive but face to face practitioners are around the same rate if not slightly more.

What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?) It was a very easy service to use, quick to get the appointment and find a convenient time.

• What did you like the most about using this product? That I was at home and not having to go to an office somewhere. I was comfortable.
• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be? I think it feels less personal as there are other distractions around both of you. I imagine it feels more focussed or intense in person.
• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience? That I was able to be so open with someone I had never met.
• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that. I would rate 4, if a friend needed support but was limited by time or responsibility it can fit in well to an ordinary day.
• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth? People who need some short term help, who have busy lives that need the service to fit into their loves easily.

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

I found it pretty straightforward.

• What did you like the most about using this product?

I like the idea of the convenience of having a consultation from my home at a time that suits me. The person I spoke to was friendly and helpful.

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

The technology wasn't great for the call itself - the video was fuzzy and disappeared at one point. The practitioner could have been more helpful if she'd had more information in advance on e.g. my diet, but the questionnaire didn't ask for that level of detail, so it felt like the session was less useful than it might have been.

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

That I came away with some practical things to try.

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

3 - would depend on the friend and their need. If someone was struggling for time to see someone I might suggest it as an option.

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

People who struggle to find time to make appointments in real life, but want some support with a particular issue

Today 09:30 Thorilicious

What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?) I liked the website, was easy to use, however being sent a code each time to log in was a bit frustrating.

• What did you like the most about using this product? I haven't been able to use the system as yet. The first time, we were unable to hear each other, so was unable to complete the appointment. I've rescheduled for Saturday, however, this will be too late for the feedback.
• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be? Being able to use your mobile phone. I would have been able to complete my appt sooner, if I didn't have to use a PC.
• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience? Unable to comment, as not had appt yet.
• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that. 4. Its a good idea, and based on what I've seen, would be a good service.
• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth? Anyone would benefit, but people who may be nervous about talking face to face with someone may find it useful.

What were your initial thoughts on the service? Initially I was pleasantly surprised at how welcoming the website looked, It was extremely easy to navigate and register.

What did you like the most about using this product?
I was able to give all medical related issues before hand for the professional to read in advance of our session, this I felt saved time not having to go back through it all during our session, that way it enabled both myself as the user and the professional to concentrate on the advice needed and not have to worry about repeating any medical issues I have.
I also found that the professional was prompt in joining the session and really listened to my thoughts and ensured I was happy with all advice given.

If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?
Nothing at all! I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.

What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?
Just how easy it was to register and talk freely and openly with the professional during the whole session, as well as the precise advice given.

On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend?
A massive 5! I feel many of my friends and family will benefit from using this service due to health related issues and spending much time avoiding medical appointments due to coming away feeling they had a negative appointment and had not been listened too or given correct advice, isoshealth most definitely do not make you feel this way!

Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

Being able to book a convenient appointment, Knowing that you can sit comfortably from your own home and talk about any issues you may have.
Knowing that you will be listened too and not rushed through your appointment.
And for those reasons anyone could benefit from isishealth, Anyone who struggles to leave the house due to Anxiety related issues, mobility related issues and even those more able.

Highly Recommended service!

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

I found it easy enough to register and book appointments (although some were really limited ... I have a mental health appointment for October if I haven't gone insane by then!)!

• What did you like the most about using this product?

Thus far I've had 2 of the 3 30 minute sessions, both of which were friendly and informative. I found the information supplied by the later of the two sessions (on diet) the most useful. I got off to a bit of a bad start with the first session with the physio, as he was having technical issues .. and probably should have been a little more professional, baring in mind I could hear every word he said (including expletives) before we finally managed to connect for real.

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

Most definitely the technology - it's far from flawless. I guess this is the problem with video calls of this nature, perhaps it will improve with time.

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

I was pleasantly surprised that the dietician seemed to have done some homework and had already some ideas on pointers that might help me - and offered to send links to further information on these.

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

3 in theory this is a good idea (especially those who struggle to get to a GP) but the service definitely needs tweaking to ensure the technology improves. Also a little more professionalism (ie don't swear profusely when the customer can hear you struggling with said technology and communication issues).

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

People needing to access general health/welfare information and or support who can't readily get this from a GP. Also for more prolonged assistance with mental health (30 minutes is definitely better than the 5 or 10 offered by GP).

hat were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?
Easy to register and complete questionnaire, was able to book an appointment at a convenient time. Didn't feel the website offered much explanation. Test call was a bit frustrating.

• What did you like the most about using this product?

It's a good concept but the person I had the appointment with couldn't hear me and the visuals kept breaking up so we couldn't complete the appointment. She blamed being on her mobile and using 4G instead of WiFi which I felt was probably a fundamental issue!

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

Better connection. She also started speaking to me about some major health issues I've experienced without much of an introduction which took me aback.

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

1 at the moment as it didn't work. My rescheduled appointment might be better!

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

Someone who doesn't have the time to physically go to a hcp but could do with some guidance to make lifestyle changes.

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

It was very easy to log on and register and obviously has good programming behind it

• What did you like the most about using this product?

It was easy, no driving/ getting to appointments required and almost anonymous which appealed to me

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

I’d like the therapists to have read my answers to the questionnaire a bit more in detail

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience? How easy it was to actually log in and fit the appointment in
• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

3- I think you definitely need several sessions and I think it would suit people who don’t want to do their own research as some of the stuff suggested for me was advice I already found for myself and was already doing

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

Busy people with no time or desire to read up independently on health issues, those who can’t travel to an appointment

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

I originally encountered problems with the link provided and was going to be charged £200 for the service. This was sorted by emailing mumsnet and a new link provided. I then registered and went through a LONG questionnaire about lifestyle and medical issues, etc. This took ages and whilst I understand the need for background information, it would put me off if I was looking for a quick service. That done, I chose my 'team' of practitioners. It was a little odd having to choose a team, and have appointments that I may have had no interest in, but I did so. Onto the appointment booking stage and what a fiasco! ALL 3 of my practitioners only had availability on a Wednesday between 4:30pm - 9pm. I tried to book the appointments but the last practitioner was full for the foreseeable future. Once again, emailed mumsnet saying the earliest appointment I could get with anyone was the 16th August, the day the review was to be published by, and one practitioner was not available for some time after that. Mumsnet comfirmed this was ok, so I went ahead and booked the 2 appointments that were available. Not the best times - one at 4pm and one at 5:30pm - didn't fit in with me but it was the only choice.

A week later, had a call to say the system was incorrect and one of the practitioners was not available and could she move the appointment to 3pm. I said yes, but in the event I was stuck in traffic and had to rearrange - I always knew it would be a stretch to make that time. My other appointment at 5:30pm stayed as planned. I logged in, did the test call, and read that I should be seeing a countdown timer to my appointment...well there wasn't one, so I was lost as to what to expect. I decided perhaps I had logged on too early so just sat and waited and kept checking. At 10 minutes to my appointment time, the timer did appear and started counting down. I have to say I was really nervous as wasn't sure what to expect and as anxiety is one of my 'issues', I was really nervous at the thought of a 'face to face' talk. I would have preferred a 'message' style chat, although I know others would like the face to face element.
The countdown ended and I was confront with myself, on camera....speaking to nobody. I could not see my practitioner and I was saying 'hello? hello?' to complete silence. I waited a few minutes, and nothing. So, absolute waste of time. Waste of time getting worked up about it and no help whatsoever.

• What did you like the most about using this product?

Nothing, sorry.

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

Much more availability of appointments needed, it was ridiculous how few appointments were available. If I had paid £200, I'd be asking for a refund I'm afraid. Also, it would be good if the practitioner was actually THERE for your appointment!

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

How difficult it was to actually book appointments and how 'un-userfriendly' the website was. It wasn't exactly difficult to use but some things were not clear, it wasn't at all mobile friendly and the countdown timer and test setup were either not there or confusing. I was expecting something extremely professional, knowing the cost of the service.

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

1. Completely useless I'm afraid.

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

Well nobody, since the service doesn't appear to work.

And here I am....awaiting my non existent appointment!

What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)
I thought the website was easy to use and to book appointments.

• What did you like the most about using this product?

The possibility to talk to a person who knew your situation by the questionnaire filled in advance. The Dietician was very helpful and friendly.

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?
• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

How easy the process was.

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

I would recommend this website to others as the practitioners seem qualified and knowledgeable.

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

People who have not enough time during the day to go to this kind of appointments. There are appoinments available also in the evenings and at weekends.

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

Terrible... it was difficult and very time consuming, it took a long time to go through each section, some of it had to be redone, website was ok in places, as in appearance; and in others it seemed like it sent you round in circles- particularly in the assessment questions, "felt clunky"
Booking appointments was nigh on impossible as the window of opportunity was so narrow, specific day and time- the NHS is easier to get an appointment with.
If I was a paying customer I would be really unhappy about this as for the price I would expect appointments almost at my convenience, not the other way round.
I got interrupted prior to booking an appointment by family and when I came back to book, I found I had to register all over again, I wasn't happy.

The woman on the chat help, was pleasant and helpful with queries the first time I logged in- that's the most positive feedback I can give.

• What did you like the most about using this product?

I didn't like it. The process and lack of availability meant I didn't get to an appointment, I had to re register and it wanted me to start from the beginning with my entire medical history again, which I simply wasn't prepared to do based on the ridiculous length of time it took the first time.

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

The website and ease of use on multiple devices

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

The sheer lack of flexibility with the appointments

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

1 not likely ...
-because the website is not easy to use,
-you have to use a computer you can't use a mobile device,
-there is no flexibility with appointment times, especially at the price charged.

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

people with plenty of money and no time constraints who need lifestyle advice in specific areas of need

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

The website appeared to be very professional and it was straightforward to register. It was easy to book appointments although there were few available at times which suited me. This was ok as it is currently school holidays but would be a problem for me during term time.

• What did you like the most about using this product?

The thing I liked most was being able to have an online face to face appointment without leaving my home. The professional advisor was great and, if I could afford to, I would definitely continue having appointments.

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

I would make it possible to use a phone to have the conversation. I borrowed my husband's MacBook but would have found it much more convenient to use a phone.

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

Nothing

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

5 - I found it a convenient and efficient way to get expert advice and support.

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

Anyone who finds it difficult to access professional support for example due to childcare issues, lack of transport, living in a rural area or working shifts or long hours.

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

I found it easy to book an appointment, however, didn't find many convenient times available. However I didn't find it very obvious that it was an online call, and nearly missed my appointment as I was waiting for a call on my mobile.

• What did you like the most about using this product?

I liked the personalisation of the product.

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

The person I spoke to didn't actually provide me with much practical advice.

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

I was surprised how easy I found it having an online conversation. I still would've preferred a phone call.

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

1. I didn't feel much benefit personally for the issue I was discussing.

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

People who find it difficult to get to physical appointments, due to circumstances, age, weather, work etc.

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

Registration was easy enough. When I had completed my profile, I then had the opportunity to select from two sets of professionals. I liked that I could read their profiles – however, it would have been nice to be able to select from both the recommended choices – ie two from one group and one from the other. The site did say you could select each professional individually, but I didn't seem able to increase my choice. The other problem I ran into was that one of the professionals from the choice of three I had selected, had no availability until the end of August/early September – and even then availability was fairly restrictive. Because of this, I decided to go with the other choice of professionals; however, in order to do so, I would have had to re-enter all my background information (health, medication, well-being etc) again. As I have quite a long medical history, I really didn’t want to do this. This was resolved by speaking to the Isohealth team and I booked to speak with 2 professionals by 14th August and will book with the third after the trial has finished.
I found the website user-friendly albeit with little choice of professionals I could make appointments with. I booked one of the appointments and the professional’s availability had changed – I quickly received an email referring me back to the site to choose another available appointment time. However, all the appointments were still available on the site, which was slightly confusing – I’m not sure if I could have viewed both at the same time, but when I went and chose a different day/time, the professional contacted me again to say that wasn’t available and to choose one of the times he had previously mentioned (which he again listed). Third time lucky and I managed to book in appointment that was mutually convenient.

• What did you like the most about using this product?

I liked being able to choose the most suitable professionals based on my particular issues/requirements. I also liked that, in both cases, the professionals had already read my notes before the appointment and were still able to give me useful advice. Generally, if you see a different GP or health professional, they haven’t had the time/opportunity to read your notes before you see them and this means that they are frequently not up-to-date with your latest health situation. I also liked the that one professional left feedback as it was helpful to be able to look back and see what was suggested/agreed during the consultation.

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

Better availability of appointments and with more choice of professionals. The Mental Health professional that I chose to have an appointment with is currently on holiday (which is unavoidable). However, appointments only seem to be available on a Saturday anyway – I made both my appointments when there were other people around at home, but in some cases, especially regarding mental health, patients might prefer to make the appointment during the week when children/partners etc are more likely to be out of the house. I understand that for those at work, Saturdays may be more convenient – perhaps it would be possible to add usual appointment times to the general information about each professional.

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

Considering a standard GP or medical health appointment is no longer than 10-15 minutes, the 30 minutes went by extremely quickly. I feel an initial consultation would probably need to be longer than 30 minutes to be more effective.

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

I would personally score a 2 because, as I have health issues, I would stick to visiting my GP as I have a good relationship with her and we discuss the way forward together each time. I also know that my GP can refer me to other local services and schemes as necessary. My greatest problem with this service is that I had no idea where the professionals were based in the UK and, as services vary depending on Trust, the professional may recommend something that is not available in the patient’s area.

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth?

I think Isohealth is great for people who work and find it difficult to make appointments to see medical professionals due to working hours and the distance they live from work. It would be really helpful for people who work to arrange an appointment either for during the evening or at the weekend – it would avoid the need for taking half a day off just for a 10 minute appointment. Also, people at work often feel they are “too busy” to be ill and so persevere at work through different illnesses and problems, whereas they can receive good advice online wherever they are. I therefore think it would be even more useful for people who travel regularly for work. Even if in a different country, they can build a relationship with one particular professional and can book an appointment without worrying if they are going to be travelling on that day – provided they have a laptop, they could just stop the car somewhere safely ahead of an appointment and take 30 minutes out of the day to get professional advice.

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?)

Really hard work. I tried registering on my laptop but the Mumsnet link didn't work and it kept referring me to a payment page. I was told to try a different device. Managed to register via my mobile but couldn't book any appointments on this device as the pages kept "falling off" the screen. Being e-mailed a code every time you log in was incredibly tedious and I find that, using my laptop again, I keep getting stuck on the log in page and that the site won't open for me.

I chose a team of 3 as recommended based on my questionnaire. One practitioner cancelled my appointment as availability changed and e-mailed some alternatives, none of which were suitable for me. I tried re-booking again but with the same result - if their availability changes then update their calender for heavens sake! One practitioner literally had no availability until September so that was another dead end.
I managed to get one appointment. Surprise surprise though apparently my laptop was not compatible with their call software. I tried using a mobile (as the only alternative device I have) and although we managed a connection it was very echoey so in the end we carried out the appointment over the phone.

• What did you like the most about using this product?

I'm struggling to think of anything positive to be honest. The one telephone consultation I had brought up some interesting bits and bobs but a lot of it was recommending websites I could look at - I could find these myself within minutes. My practitioner said she'd send me some stuff - 3 days later I've not had an e-mail and can't get back into the website to see if she's posted any information there.

• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

Their software seems a bit niche (it's not an old laptop I'm trying to use!). The website seems virtually impossible to access and the availability of practitioners seems very hit and miss.

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

I was surprised at how disappointing the whole thing was. Why recommend a practitioner that has no appointments available for over a month????? Their online calendar should always be up to date and current as a minimum surely? If I'd paid for this I'd be demanding a refund.

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

1 - definitely not. It was an altogether pointless experience for me

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth

Anyone with more compatible devices who doesn't mind waiting weeks for an appointment. I can't see that this website offers any advantages to finding a local practitioner that you can see in person!

• What were your initial thoughts on the service (ease of registering, ease of booking in the appointments, look and feel of the website?) I was initially interested to see how this would work. I wasn't particularly impressed by the website but found it easy to fill in the questionnaire and book an appointment. I had some problems arranging the appointment at first because I somehow didn't end up using the link provided in the email so I arrived at a payment portal. I emailed Isoshealth for help and they did reply the next working day.

The practitioner I selected had plenty of available appointments which were at suitable times for me.

• What did you like the most about using this product? The face to face personalised approach. Online advice rarely feels tailor-made and this works really well. Because it's online its easy to arrange appointments and it really saves time.
• If you could improve one thing in the overall process and service, what would it be?

I had a glitsch where despite being connected to the practitioner and chatting to her, the website brought up a message saying that we weren't connected and would cut off the line in 5 minutes. then the practitioner received the same message, and afterwards I received an email saying that I had missed my appointment.

• What, if anything, surprised you about the experience?

I thought it was very straightforward and I received good advice.

• On a scale from 1 to 5 (1=not at all likely, 5=very likely), how likely are you to recommend this product to a friend? Please tell us why is that.

1. I would recommend it to a friend that was short on time and I thought this service would be suitable for.

• Who do you think would benefit the most from isoshealth? People short on time, who are busy during the day or restricted to being at home for whatever reason.