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DITIS - Virtual collaborative teams for home healthcare
Published on 12 October 2018
Cyprus
Kýpros
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
DITIS is a system that supports dynamic Virtual Collaborative Medical Teams dealing with the home-healthcare. It supports the dynamic creation, management and co-ordination of virtual medical teams, for the continuous treatment of the patient at home, and if needed for periodic visits to places of specialized treatment and back home. DITIS is an Internet (web) based Group Collaboration system with secure fixed and GPRS/GSM/WAP mobile connectivity.
DITIS was designed to deliver a product that can improve the quality of the citizen’s life. Contrary to state of the art health processing structure which is, in all practical terms facility-based care, this project aimed to shift the focus into home-based care, where everything is moving around the patient. The virtual healthcare team was able to provide dedicated, personalized and private service to the home residing patient on a need based and timely fashion, under the direction of the treating specialist. The main goal was the chronic and severe patients, such as cancer patients, to enjoy ‘optimum’ health service in the comfort of their home (i.e. a focus on wellness), feeling safe and secure that in case of a change in their condition the health care team would be (virtually) present to support them.
Chronic patients, such as the cancer patient, can now enjoy ‘optimum’ health service, with improved quality of life, in the warmth of their own friendly environment, without a degradation in the quality of care provided to them,
DITIS was designed to deliver a product that can improve the quality of the citizen’s life. Contrary to state of the art health processing structure which is, in all practical terms facility-based care, this project aimed to shift the focus into home-based care, where everything is moving around the patient. The virtual healthcare team was able to provide dedicated, personalized and private service to the home residing patient on a need based and timely fashion, under the direction of the treating specialist. The main goal was the chronic and severe patients, such as cancer patients, to enjoy ‘optimum’ health service in the comfort of their home (i.e. a focus on wellness), feeling safe and secure that in case of a change in their condition the health care team would be (virtually) present to support them.
Chronic patients, such as the cancer patient, can now enjoy ‘optimum’ health service, with improved quality of life, in the warmth of their own friendly environment, without a degradation in the quality of care provided to them,
Expert opinion
The practice represents an e-health solution that enables medical teams to support chronic patients in their homes. It underlines the equally important success factors of strong health care and IT professionals. The cost savings achieved by the practice would potentially make it (or newer iterations) interesting to regional or national authorities with health care responsibilities. The shift from facility-based to home-based care for certain patient groups should be of interest to both patients and professionals. The practice can likely provide likely valuable lessons learned concerning how to handle technology implementation and mitigate potential skepticism among both groups.
Works at
WSP
Resources needed
Total cost for technical equipment and human resources: 1.500.000 Euros
Evidence of success
Quality of life is improved for the patient.
Regarding Cancer patients is Cyprus - Paper case study of potential homecare savings:
- Indicative yearly running cost for home care services provision without DITIS:
• Total cost per nurse (excluding overheads): 53,570 Euro
- Indicative yearly running cost for home care services provision with DITIS (approx. savings: 40%)
- Additional cost savings are due to reduction of:
• healthcare staff unnecessary visits to the head office
• preparation
Regarding Cancer patients is Cyprus - Paper case study of potential homecare savings:
- Indicative yearly running cost for home care services provision without DITIS:
• Total cost per nurse (excluding overheads): 53,570 Euro
- Indicative yearly running cost for home care services provision with DITIS (approx. savings: 40%)
- Additional cost savings are due to reduction of:
• healthcare staff unnecessary visits to the head office
• preparation
Potential for learning or transfer
DITIS could easily be transferred and adapted for rehabilitation, monitoring and training that are required for other (chronic) health problems and diseases. Basic conditions for successful transfer and operation: a) Dedicated Team of Health Professionals, b) Strong IT Team. No technical limitation should be faced. The main service concerns the dynamic creation, management and co-ordination of virtual collaborative healthcare teams for the continuous treatment of the patient at home, independently of the physical location of the team’s members, or the patient. Hence, DITIS is an interesting practice to be transferred and applied by public hospitals or local authorities that offer health care services to their citizens at home.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
University of Cyprus
Cyprus
Kýpros
Contact
Managing Director