Telemedicin Hospitalsenheden Vest
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Press release 14 June 2013 Columna Citizen is part of large Danish telemedicine trial Large Danish telemedicine trial is examining the quality of standard blood pressure checks carried out at patients' GP clinics compared to telemedicine blood pressure checks carried out by patients in their own homes. More than 1 million Danes are estimated to have high blood pressure. This group is increasingly made up of elderly citizens who can find it inconvenient and difficult to physically meet up at their GPs for a check- up. It is a paradox that there are not enough check-ups and treatment for high blood pressure because many complications resulting from high blood pressure can be avoided through simple treatment. Increase quality of life by staying at home Region Hospital Holstebro and Holstebro Municipality are carrying out a large telemedicine trial. The study of citizens with high blood pressure in the age group 55-64 years aims to determine if their treatment based on blood pressure measurements carried out using telemedicine equipment is a better way of controlling their illness and delivering a higher quality of life in comparison to citizens whose treatment is based on readings carried out during a check-up at their local GPs. "All of the participants in the trial will be seen and treated by their GP as normal," explains researcher and doctor Nikolai Hofmann-Petersen from the Medical Research Department at Region Hospital Holstebro. "We are dividing the participants into two groups. One group will measure blood pressure at home using the telemedicine equipment and send the results electronically to their GP. The other group of people will have their blood pressure measured in the normal fashion at their local GPs. After three months, we'll compare the two patient groups' blood pressures, the effectiveness of their treatment, general satisfaction and quality of life." Must be easy and reliable When it comes to using telemedicine equipment, it is crucial that citizens find it easy to use the equipment and the risk of incorrectly using the equipment is kept to a minimum. Four hundred residents in Holstebro will receive a small electronic transmitter with a standard device for measuring blood pressure. Blood pressure is measured in the standard well-known manner using a cuff around the arm. When the reading has been taken, the result is automatically sent to the patient's GP. "With Columna Citizen, the patient's blood pressure measurements are automatically registered in the patient's electronic journal, so the patient's GP has an overview of the patient's condition," explains Anders Goul Søren Frichs Vej 39 Nielsen, Healthcare Development Director for Systematic A/S. "Columna 8000 Aarhus C Denmark Citizen can also be configured so that the system automatically sends a Tel +45 8943 2000 Fax +45 8943 2020 CVR-nr. 78 83 44 12 SSE/03488/PRS/124 www.systematic.com message to the GP if the patient's readings are above or below critical threshold values, allowing the doctor to take immediate action and regulate treatment, if required." The patients must measure their blood pressure three times a day. They have the option of receiving reminders to measure their blood pressure on their mobile phones if they have not already carried out all of their daily measurements. Increased welfare for less money The West Jutland telemedicine trial is not just focusing on the individual resident. The trial will also determine conclusions regarding the socio- economic consequences of using telemedicine to measure blood pressure at home. By and large, telemedicine has far-reaching perspectives and many pilot projects and trials are underway in Denmark and abroad. "Mobility and telemedicine are among the many challenges faced by healthcare IT where Systematic can be a real help because of our expertise and experience," says Anders Goul Nielsen. About Columna Citizen Columna Citizen is part of Systematic’s EHR solution Columna, which is used in all of the hospitals in Central Denmark Region under the name Midt-EPJ. The Columna Citizen module allows people to use computers, mobile applications and interactive voice calls to directly communicate with the healthcare system – in the comfort of their own homes. Columna Citizen is based on Medixine Clinic, the flagship product of Medixine Ltd, one of the pioneers in telehealth in Europe. Based in Finland, Medixine is marketing its products in all Scandinavian countries, the UK, USA and Australia. “Medixine Clinic is created for the new paradigm in healthcare, activating patients in their own care and prevention of disease. Our partner Systematic has integrated Medixine Clinic not only into their leading Columna software suite but also, in a unique way, into the whole infrastructure of Danish ehealth. We are using Systematic’s integrated solution as an example of an ideal implementation of our products,” says Dr. Tapio Jokinen, President of Medixine Ltd. About the Medical Research Department at Region Hospital Holstebro Hospitalsenheden Vest (the hospital organisation in Western Jutland), consists of the three regional hospitals Region Hospital Herning, Region Hospital Holstebro and Region Hospital Lemvig, and the hospital Sundhedshus Ringkøbing and the health centre Sundhedscenter Tarm. The Medical Research Department is based in the regional hospital in Holstebro and carries out health research, focusing on kidney disorders, high blood pressure, fluid and electrolyte imbalances and circulatory disorders. 2 af 3 SSE/03488/PRS/124$ Further information Region Hospital Holstebro Nikolai Hoffmann-Petersen Doctor [email protected] +45 7843 6584 Medixine Ltd Tapio Jokinen President [email protected] Systematic Anders Goul Nielsen Healthcare Development Director [email protected] +45 2081 1867 Merja Annala President Merja [email protected] +358 407120870 Press information: http://systematic.com/about/press/ About Systematic A/S Systematic A/S develops software and systems solutions to customers in healthcare, defence, law enforcement, the public sector, finance and service industries. A common feature of these customers is a need to integrate, compare and analyse large volumes of complex data, and to generate an overview that allows decision-making based on a solid foundation, often in critical situations. Systematic was established in 1985. Today, the company is the largest privately owned software and systems company in Denmark, with major international companies as partners, and solutions sold to customers in 47 countries. The company has almost 500 employees, is headquartered in Aarhus and has offices in Germany, USA, UK, Australia, Finland and Sweden. 3 af 3 SSE/03488/PRS/124$ .