Page 10 - ICS Vall d'Hebron University Hospital 2011

Health 2.0

New technologies have revolutionized the way we commu-

nicate with our surroundings and the hospital is no stran-

ger to this change. It is aware of the advantages these tech-

nologies can contribute to knowledge management for

hospital professionals and users.

In 2011, initiatives were consolidated such as the Vall d’He-

bron Digital Library and the Pharmacy Service’s Drug Infor-

mation Centre, both of which are present on different

social networks.

The Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) also made use

of social networks as a communication tool and the results

in 2011 were positive.

Vall d’Hebron University Hospital Successfully

Applies Telemedicine to Dialysis

Thanks to the telemedicine system, which was consolida-

ted in 2011, patients with chronic kidney disease who live

outside Barcelona can be remotely monitored from the

hospital, thus making it unnecessary for them to travel.

Professionals can use videoconferencing to treat patients,

respond to their consultations and change their treat-

ments. About 30% of the patients who have to do perito-

neal dialysis every day can benefit from the system.

Until now, these patients, many with mobility problems, had

to go to the hospital for their routine checkups, but now,

through a programme of scheduled consultations and a

patient-management software program, patients can see

their doctor by videoconference in their own homes. At the

appointed time on the scheduled day, the hospital uses the

computer to call the videoconference system in the patient’s

home; this system can be used at no charge, since costs are

covered by the Baxter company. During the teleconsultation,

the professional can remotely upload the results of the

patient’s dialysis sessions from the magnetic storage device

to the automated dialysis cycler. These results are stored in

the hospital database so that professionals can analyse them.

The cycler programme that administers the dialysis can even

be changed remotely over the telephone line.

Vall d’Hebron Premature Birth Group

on Facebook

The experience of having a premature child, the difficulties

involved and the questions that can arise prompted a group

of parents with children admitted to the hospital to create

a Facebook group to share their experiences and organize

meetings. With more than 200 followers, this initiative has

become a platform for cooperation between users and hos-

pital professionals and a tool to make people aware of the

situation of premature births, which are becoming more

and more common in today’s society. The aim of this acti-

vity is to encourage parents with premature children to be

optimistic about the development of their children.

Currently, one in ten children born in Spain is premature

and Vall d’Hebron University Hospital is a referral hospital

in this health area.

Activity of the Research Institute Website

January-December 2011

January 2012

Single users

87,000

10,500

Visits

353,000

29,000

Pages visited

843,000

71,000

Activity of the Research Institute on Social Networks

Facebook

195 followers

Twitter

465 followers

YouTube Channel

11,000 views

iTunes Channel

675 views

205 followers

Streaming

Seminars

10

ICS · Vall d’Hebron University Hospital 2011

Activity of the Vall d’Hebron Digital Library

on Social Networks

Twitter

662 followers

2,288 tweets

Facebook

65 fans

User group (12 members

and 2 administrators)

Delicious

102 links

8 BAM