The BBCPlans for an upgraded NHS app to allow more patients in England to book treatments and appointments will be part of a package of measures to be unveiled by the government on Monday.
The changes will allow patients who need non-urgent elective treatment to choose from a range of providers, including those in the private sector.
Ministers and NHS leaders will this week publish what has been described as an optional reform plan designed to speed up planned treatment.
But the British Medical Association (BMA) said there was a risk the policy would “discriminate or isolate” patients who do not have access to digital technology.
The plan will set out how the government plans to deliver on one of its key election promises – to have more than nine in 10 patients receive treatment within 18 weeks of referral by the end of this parliament or will be signed.
Currently less than six in 10 are dealt with in that time. It aims to significantly reduce the overall waiting list to just under 7.5 million.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the move would move the NHS “into the digital age” and help cut waiting times from “18 months to 18 weeks”.
Mr Streeting said the plans would “put patients in the driving seat and get them treated in a timely manner” and put them “in control of their healthcare”.
Actions will also be taken to tackle missed appointments, which can be costly to health services, including an artificial intelligence pilot to help identify patients who may need extra help to attend. .
The NHS app will allow more patients who need non-urgent treatment to view and manage appointments, the Department of Health said.
The first phase of the plan will come into force in March, when more than 85 per cent of acute trust patients will be able to view their appointments on the NHS app.
Reminders will be sent by hospitals to reduce the number of missed appointments. Diagnostic tests can be booked at specialist centers with fast results.
They will also be able to contact their healthcare provider and receive regular updates, including how long they are likely to wait.
Patients already have the right to choose where they want their treatment, including in the private sector, but are not always told this. Details of NHS and independent providers will be clarified through the app.
Some of these features are already available on the NHS app and a website Manage your referrals. But officials say only 8 percent of bookings are made through these platforms.
Other plans include extending a scheme for GPs to discuss certain matters with hospital specialists to ensure patients are treated in the right setting.
The current advice and guidance scheme has resulted in 50% of cases being directed to more appropriate care rather than being placed on long waiting lists, thereby reducing pressure on hospitals. These include some ear, nose and throat conditions.
GPs will also be able to refer patients with certain conditions directly for tests or scans without the need to see a consultant first. The aim is to reduce waiting times and remove those who have been cleared from waiting lists.
Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, said the use of technology would revolutionize access to healthcare and “put patients in the driving seat of elective care.”
But Professor Phil Benfield, chair of the BMA Council, said the focus should be on patients most in need rather than a “wasteful obsession” with artificial targets.
“Without access to tablets and smartphones, there is a risk of isolating patients,” he said.
“We already have a two-tier health system — those who can pay to access care and those who cannot,” he said. “We must avoid creating a third class of disenfranchised weaklings”.
Tim Mitchell, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said the new plan to reduce waiting times would be very welcome. But he added that the government would fall short of its target without further reforms and investment “including upgrading IT and gutting NHS facilities”.