Health care organisation ZuidOostZorg from Drachten has something new: on 7 July last, ZuidOostZorg opened the first eHealth point in the North of the Netherlands: a place where people can get information about eHealth and can try out and order new smart tools.
The eHealth point offers visitors and clients the opportunity to try out and test products in the shop during opening hours: Monday until Friday: 9.00 to 17.00. You can find the first eHealth point in the Medipoint shop in Sûnenz/ NeiBertilla, at the Burgemeester Wuiteweg 140 in Drachten. The following months the eHealth concept will be further expanded throughout the Netherlands.
Mr. Van Bekkum (Mayor of Smallingerland), Mrs. Huizenga (director ZuidOostZorg), Mr. Martens (Commercial Director Medux) and, through a video connection, Mr. Dohmen (CEO Focus Cura) opened the new eHealthpoint.
The eHealth point
eHealth is a portmanteau word combining ‘electronic’ and ‘health’, refers to smart communication techniques that are being used in (home) care. iPad apps that enable safe video calling with a doctor or nurse are a good example. And apps that can be linked to a scale, blood pressure or heart rate monitor and can send out signals. Another example is an electronic pill dispenser with medication reminders.
The eHealth point is a modern display that shows innovative eHealth solutions. A central iPad enables video contact with a Focus Cura eHealth expert, that can inform customers about the existing solutions. The first eHealth point shows solutions for ‘care at distance’, like the Medido medication dispenser, video calling and self measurement tools. Over the following months, the eHealth point will be complemented with more and more innovations.
“This and other smart solutions enable chronic patients and elderly to live independently for as long as possible. At the same time, thanks to modern techniques they have 24/7 access to health care, when needed”, says René Martens, managing director at medical aid supplier Medipoint. “Many people are still not familiar with our solutions and we wanted to change that. eHealth solutions should be in reach for all elderly and chronically ill people.”
Partnership
To make this dream come true, Medipoint entered into a partnership with care innovator FocusCura - eHealth market leader - to establish information points in all Medipoint supply stores in the Netherlands. Roelfien Erasmus, innovation manager at ZuidOostZorg explains: “To us, eHealth is an important addition to the care solutions we already offer. Thanks to video calling, clients can reach us 24 hours a day and the Medido medication dispenser enables clients to take their own medication. That gives them a sense of freedom. Other eHealth solutions like smart alarm systems or at home monitoring tools reinforce that feeling. From now on, the eHealth point in our Medipoint home care shop gives us the opportunity to inform our clients and to show all possibilities.”
The Minister and Secretary of State stated last year that eHealth, the use of smart communication techniques in health care, is one of the most important instruments to enable elderly and chronically ill people to live at home independently for as long as possible. Many people on the contrary are not yet familiar with all eHealth possibilities. The introduction of the eHealth point should change that situation.