Attend a hospital ambulance remotely without losing quality

Visits to the emergency department in Spain have increased by about 30-50% in recent years, often exceeding the capacity of these services, according to data from the Spanish Society of Emergency Medicine (SEMES). A situation that has worsened especially over the last two years due to COVID-19, which has increased not only the number of consultations but also the casualties of specialists.

this Saturation of ambulance services, A fundamental pillar of health care, prolongs the waiting period for patients to visit. Therefore, improving the flow of patient care in these services is key. And improvements can be offset by technology that plays a crucial role in bringing innovation, efficiency and the experience of professionals together.

Technology in the health service

While many advances have been made in healthcare technology, few have had such a wide-ranging impact or impact as digitalisation in patient service. Advances in new technologies have not only expanded medical treatment options, but also changed the way doctors work and help patients.

When patient-centered care takes place, technology that enhances your experience becomes an important part of the hospital’s strategic plans. Thus, technological innovation manages to transform medical care as the way people use health services has also changed over the last ten years, often hoping to have access to it. Itself online or by phone.

According to the Global Healthcare Outlook 2022 report, patients are increasingly looking for digital health services and their view of health is changing, no longer focusing only on physical health but on well-being in general.

Aware of the importance of these needs and changes, Fundación Jiménez Diaz, Rey Juan Carlos de Móstoles, Infanta Elena de Valdemoro and General de Villalba University Hospitals, Integrated with the Madrid Public Network, it has taken significant steps in this area to expand and optimize patients’ access to their services online thanks to new technologies, innovations and digitization.

Digital assistance in the emergency service

These health centers have recently been implemented Digital emergency switchingAn experience that benefits both patients and medical professionals in the care of chronic and less urgent processes and that operates for five months. Approximately 15,000 patientsWith a high or very high level of satisfaction, in some cases higher than with face-to-face service.

“We were looking for digital solutions or alternatives to modulate and meet the growing demand for excellence in health care delivery,” explains Dr. Jorge Short, Deputy Medical Director and promoter of the Jimenez Diaz Foundation. Due to the need to optimize processes, the Digital Emergency Assistance Circle offers two ways to enter the emergency service: a phone call from outside the hospital or a video call from the hospital itself.

Options Phone call This prevents the patient from going to the hospital in case of need and allows him / her to receive indirect help through the phone number indicated in the “Digital Ambulance” section of the patient’s portal – a developed application. By this group of hospitals ––. The ambulance doctor evaluates him remotely and reviews whether it is necessary for him to go to the hospital; Prescribe medication if necessary; Consult a specialist or perform any additional tests. As in “face-to-face evaluation,” explains Short.

In the event that it is necessary for the patient to receive face care, he or she is coordinated by agreeing on tests or treatment options and continuing the evaluation at the hospital to guide the admission process.

In the case of the second entry route, Video call from the hospital itself If the reason for the consultation is a chronic pathology or a situation on the Manchester 4 or 5 level of the triage scale – less emergency levels in the approved clinical risk categorization and patient prioritization system – then “he can help you with video conferencing “- says the Deputy Director of the Jimenez Diaz Foundation.

This type of consultation adds another circle to the existing one, but with the advantage of being managed by one or two doctors outside the hospital, they can attend processes from several hospitals on the same day, he continues. .

The specialist also notes that if the doctor considers that the patient needs face care, “this will be done by a physician serving physically in the center’s emergency department, in a coordinated manner between the two teams. . ”

During the five months of its operation, “no patient had to be re-admitted within the next 72 hours, the percentage to be assessed in person is less than 15% and the care time was less than 85% of the cases. More than 30 minutes, ”Short confirmed. The goal is to achieve 170 patients per day Among these four hospitals, Approximately 60,000 patients per year, Also increase the reasons for consultation.