Smart patient journey saves time for patients and healthcare professionals

“The goal was to make the measurement process easier for patients while also reducing the workload in the outpatient clinics,” say Janneke Smeets, trainee team leader, and Lisette van Aart, business operations advisor.

At IJsselland Hospital, Alviscan is used in two ways. For preoperative screening, patients perform their vital signs measurements independently with the Alviscan self-measurement kiosk immediately after the consultation. The measurement values are instantly available to the anaesthesiologist. As a result, the patient no longer needs to return for a separate measurement appointment, and the healthcare professional immediately has the information needed to assess the next stage of the care pathway. For outpatient appointments, for example within internal medicine, the process works slightly differently. Here, Alviscan is used before the appointment. Patients first perform their measurements independently and then continue directly to the physician. The measurement values are then automatically available in the patient record, so the physician immediately has access to the right information.

According to Janneke and Lisette, the greatest benefit lies in organising the care process more intelligently. After the measurement is completed, the measurement values are processed directly and automatically in the electronic patient record. This gives healthcare professionals immediate access to the correct data, without having to enter it manually. “The greatest benefit is that staff can use their time in a more focused way. That is what it ultimately comes down to.” Especially within internal medicine, this has led to more efficient use of staff and more room for care-related activities.

Patients also appear to be able to use the self-measurement kiosk well. A survey shows that most patients experience the process as clear and user-friendly. “We have a relatively older patient population. That is exactly why we were curious to see how patients would respond. The experiences have been surprisingly positive.” Whenever a patient needs help or a measurement does not work, support is always available. Volunteers help patients get started, and if a measurement still cannot be completed, a staff member takes over.

Looking back, Janneke and Lisette identify one important success factor: involve all relevant departments in the process right from the start. “Implementing the technology is not the most difficult part. The greatest challenge lies in changing processes and ways of working.” Their advice to other hospitals is clear: create support, define the process carefully in advance and involve all disciplines, from IT and medical technology to healthcare professionals and volunteers.

According to IJsselland Hospital, self-measurement will only become more important in the coming years. “We expect patients to do more and more themselves. This requires smart digital solutions that support patients and relieve healthcare professionals.” For IJsselland Hospital, Alviscan has now proven that this works in practice. By intelligently aligning technology, workflow and the patient journey, a more efficient process is created for both patients and healthcare professionals.