DR News
8 January 2023 08.00 am
https://www.dr.dk/drtv/se/tv-avisen_-kina-dropper-rejserestriktioner_360593
Transcription (auto translated):
In the last five years, Central Denmark Region has tested an app which is intended to make the treatment pathway safer for the patients. So far, the results are good, and the initiative should be rolled out across Denmark according to several sources.
- This system is very well functioning. You know, you have heard so many stupid stories - but this works. And it works well.
(says Povl Balslev, patient)
The patients download an app with a so-called digital patient guide on their mobile phone where they can use the chat function to get in contact with a nurse. Patients can also watch videos related to their disease and they are reminded about appointments at the hospital. One of the patients who has benefited from using the app is Povl Balslev, who was treated at Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at Aarhus University Hospital. When he was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm close to his heart, the ongoing contact with the hospital was important to him:
- It makes you feel safe, and it is very nice to be able to have this personal connection. And if I have a question, I can get a qualified answer very fast.
(says Povl Balslev, patient)
So far, several hundred patient guides have been completed in 50,000 patients in Central Denmark Region involving nurses like Rikke Mikkelsen:
- The app is a really good tool. We can feel that it makes our patients feel safe and that is really important to us as staff to feel that our patients feel safe about coming here but also to feel safe about living their life.
Now you are with us Anders Kühnau, Chairman of the Regional Council in Central Denmark Region and Chairman of Danish Regions. It sounds as if the digital patient guide is a success. It has been tested for five years, so if it is such a good idea, why has it not been rolled out in the rest of Denmark yet?
- It is a really good idea when we make new solutions that we thoroughly test them before rolling them out. And we need to do that in this case as well. Now we can say that we are ready to roll it out. We have rolled out many digital solutions in the Danish healthcare system. We properly have the most digitalized healthcare system in the world. We have e.g., Sundhed. dk and many other solutions which are successfully used by the Danes and rolled out across the regions. And I believe the same will happen with this app now.
(says Anders Kühnau, Chairman of the Regional Council in Central Denmark Region and Chairman of Danish Regions) So, you see a huge potential in this app. But what does it take to start using it at more hospitals? What is the next step?
- The next step is obviously that we roll it out like many other digital solutions, and we have the systems to do that. We have a really good collaboration in the regions in IT. Contrary to what you sometimes see in the public sector. So, actually we have a highly digitalized healthcare system in Denmark. One of the most digitalized systems in the world. And we have a good collaboration and I think that this will make us able to roll out this solution quite fast. We have different solutions in this area but we are working to find a solution to provide the Danes with the best solution. Luckily, we are getting there.
(says Anders Kühnau, Chairman of the Regional Council in Central Denmark Region and Chairman of Danish Regions)