Health care – focus on video consultations
Ever more health care institutions in Poland decide to expand the functionalities of existing hospital management applications and introduce video consultations via Skype. This is done in order to improve the quality of health care services and the comfort of patients. Software providers for the health care sector are looking for ways to improve the performance of their systems in this regard. One such example is the agreement between Microsoft and Asseco Poland and the resulting Asseco Medical Management Solutions, which integrates the Skype video messenger. Patients and employees of the Health Care Center in Kedzierzyn Koźle are enjoying the benefits of this cooperation.
Telemedicine is not only an advanced solution that improves treatment. It is also the quickest way of improving the quality of patient care and reducing consultation waiting times. Moreover, it allows for enhanced communication within health centers – one of the improvements is the possibility to conduct inter-departmental consultations without having to physcially move between departments.
On the one hand, the development of telemedicine means a better and more efficient patient care. On the other hand it provides hospitals with an opportunity to optimize costs and modernize their current operations. The use of information technology is one of the pillars of the Digital Agenda for Europe, which sets out key initiatives aimed at improving the economic situation and promoting sustainable future in a digital society . According to a study conducted by IDC, more than 65% of health care centers will provide means of contacting patients via mobile devices by 2018, and more than 70% will use applications to track and monitor their patients’ condition .
Innovation – linchpin of hospitals modernization
Independent Public Health Care Complex in Kędzierzyn Koźle is one of the largest hospitals in the Opolskie region. The facility consists of 16 departments and 18 specialist outpatient clinics. It has a surgery unit and a labor unit, as well as a large number of laboratories and diagnostic facilities. Investment in innovation allows the hospital to grow at an impressive pace – it also pioneered the use of IT systems during treatment.
Marek Staszewski, Director of the Health Care Complex in Kędzierzyn Koźle: Our patients follow two parallel paths. The first one sees them use the services provided by our hospital, in the following order: registration/ admissions, department/ particular facility, surgical unit, and the diagnostics unit. Simultaneously, an electronic profile of each patient is created within the hospital’s internal network. This electronic profile follows him or her, and often ... is actually much quicker than the patient. It may happen that a patient returning to an outpatient clinic after a CT scan or ultrasound only to be surprised that their results are already on the doctor’s computer screen. This is possible thanks to modern IT solutions that significantly facilitate assessment and treatment.
As part of implementing its development strategy and improving the quality of patient care and the work of medical staff, the hospital has decided to implement the Asseco Medical Management Solutions, with an integrated video messenger functionality. The implemented solution will support the management of both its health care activities (HIS), as well as its administrative activities (ERP).
As part of the agreement with the hospital, Asseco Poland also provided 20 ‘Skype for Business’ licenses. This will allow staff members to conduct video conferences, including inter-departmental consultations – the Health Care Center in Kędzierzyn Koźle has two locations, about 8 kilometers apart. The chosen solution will also support other medical consultations and meetings.
Krzysztof Groyecki, Vice President of Asseco Poland: AMMS is a comprehensive solution for hospitals. We created it knowing the needs of medical staff and patients, but also according to the most important IT trends. Certainly, telemedicine is one of them. That's why I am very pleased that, acting together with Microsoft, we can offer our users video consultations via a modern online messenger such as ‘Skype for Business’.
Joint action for the development of telemedicine in Poland
The implementation of the AMMS solution with video consultation capability via ‘Skype for Business’ at the Health Care Facility in Kędzierzyn Koźle is the result of an agreement signed between Asseco Poland and Microsoft Poland in October 2016. It allows for an integration of HIS (Hospital Information Systems) with ‘Skype for Business’ video communication facility delivered by Microsoft.
Wojciech Życzyński, Director of Public Sector Sales at Microsoft Poland: The development of telemedicine services is key for sustainable development of entire health care centers. It is also a nod to the patients who are now more likely to actually consult specialists and save time, which often plays a crucial role in quick recovery.