We are very proud to have a pharmacy group among our customers – Gebro Pharma, Tirol, Austria, which uses our CareStation.Net for a home care application. It turned out that our system perfectly fulfils the requirements of the customer and already helps them to save costs.
Gebro Pharma is providing permanent infusions for congestive heart failure patients waiting for a heart transplantation. At the hospital, the patient receives a Hickman-catheter. In a training session, he learns how to change the infusions and handle the system. Until recently, a nurse used to visit the patients every two days at home, to assist them by changing the medication-cassettes and to help them in becoming more confident and independent by doing this. The patients were instructed to daily measure their vital data such as blood pressure and weight and to contact the nurse via telephone in case of any deviations.
With the video communication system CareStation.Net, the nurse now visits her patients virtually. She is able to watch the patient changing the cassettes and support him in case of difficulties. The patient’s vital data is being automatically transferred via the Internet connection to the nurse’s database. She always has the latest recordings. Nurse Sieglinde is very satisfied with this solution. We did ask her about her experiences:
How do patients react when you offer them the possibility of video communication?
As you can imagine, there are two attitudes towards video: There are patients who feel uncomfortable with new technologies. They express fear, for example being observed all the time, or becoming victim of Internet crime. They do not trust new technologies. We therefore do not force them to use the CareStation. On the other hand, there are those patients who have no objections against the use of video communication. They definitely see the advantages of having visual contact any time when necessary.
What did change for you now that you communicate via video with your patients?
Above all, it is a huge advantage that I can stay at home now and make my visits from there. At the moment I am responsible for three of Austria’s provinces, which covers a surface of nearly 16.500 km². Before, there were periods when I had to drive 300 km to see one patient every second day! Now, I have much more time which I can spend in a more sensible way than driving.
Another advantage is the electronic recording of the patient’s vital data. Now, I have instant access to a database showing the the patient's history. Before, I had to rely on the patients’ measurements and notices.
And how do your patients accept the CareStation?
In general, they deal with it in a very professional way. We work together as if there was no distance. I use the pan/tilt/zoom camera to check all details on the catheter, and my patients assist me. All of them appreciate the fact, that they can see me in an instant whenever it is necessary.
