The Medanets theme week inspires using the mobile solution – use expands to cover the entire hospital district in south-east Finland
Picture: Kymsote
The purpose of the Medanets theme week is to accelerate the use of the solution to make a good start while also spreading a good feeling. Following the expansion, the agreement between the healthcare district Kymsote and Medanets covers 650 beds across the entire hospital district.
The Kymenlaakso Central Hospital and Northern Kymi Central Hospital have been using Medanets observation values and the wristband management solution since 2015. Following the expansion, the package includes EWS, clinical forms for risk assesments (Braden, FRAT, NRS 2002, Audit C and VAS), monitored patients and the Admin UI reporting and management tool. A function for monitoring pain management has also been implemented in connection with observation values.
Two primary healthcare units (Karhula and Hamina), an inpatient rehabilitation unit (Hoiku) and palliative wards (Villa Apila and Villa Meri) joined as completely new units. Kymsote uses the Medanets solution in conjunction with the Lifecare electronic health record.
At Kymsote, we have been using the Medanets solution for quite some time. In fact, the solution is ICT at its best. It gives us more time to spend on the core task: treatment and care. Expanding the solution to cover all of the Kymsote region was therefore a smart decision.
Matti Ahola, CIO, Kymsote
The solution is also used in hospital-at-home activities. Expanding its use into the psychiatric hospital and outpatient appointments is currently being considered.
Mobile project and theme week to accelerate the use of Medanets
Kymsote has launched a one-year project to accelerate the use of the mobile solution. In the big picture, the mobile project and the use of the Medanets app are connected to the Kymenlaakso region’s social and healthcare services reform funded by the state. The strategic aim of the structural reform is to develop both electronic services for residents and tools for professionals. The working methods and processes will be revised using digital tools to save time for patient encounters.
“Mobile technology plays a central role in up-to-date professional tools. Smartphones are convenient to use, and solutions that run on them are continuously increasing. In care-related mobile solutions, the connection to the electronic health record system is crucial, and it is also the biggest advantage of Medanets,” says Päivi Asikainen, ICT project manager at Kymsote.
The mobile project is headed by a three-person team, comprised of the project lead Niina Valokorpi-Hirvonen and project workers Julia Koppinen and Marika Kurko. They all also have a solid background in care work, and they are assured of the benefits of the mobile solution in practical work. The project team will organise a Medanets theme week on 17–21 May as part of the project.
“The idea of the theme week is to approach increasing the use of the mobile solution in a happy mood,” Marika Kurko says. Medanets quick instructions and small Medanets-themed surprises will be distributed to the units during the week. A Medanets use competition will be launched at the same time. The week-long competition takes all use of the app into account: observation values documented with Medanets, risk assessments and NEWS scores. The competition has three categories, with the ward that used the app the most in its work rewarded in each one.
The project task is to establish the use of Medanets as a permanent form of work in the units that use it, thereby harmonising the working methods throughout the region. With the theme week, we particularly want to encourage nurses to use the app and bring a good feeling to the units.
Niina Valokorpi-Hirvonen, nurse, project lead, Kymsote
The benefits of the mobile solution can be made visible with the competition and Medanets use reports. “Often, new tools are just brought in and expected to be used. With the competition, we want to make people notice that it relieves their workload,” Marika Kurko says.
“We are hoping that the competition will get people to encourage also each other, perhaps to some extent in the hope of the reward, but that they will also notice what a handy tool the app is. The use reports that monitor the competition will also make the benefits of the mobile solution visible at the level of the unit and organisation as well,” Julia Koppinen adds. ICT project manager Päivi Asikainen mentions that data relating to the use of Medanets is important to supervisors and the management for the development of operations.
During the theme week, the project team will also be presenting Medanets features that Kymsote has not yet deployed. Kymsote’s agreement includes these features options, whose procurement will be considered if and when needs arise. The mobile project is also intended to survey these needs and promote the further expansion of use. In questionnaires carried out within the mobile project, nurses have particularly requested the medication feature, and the possibility to record glucose in the observation values.
“Medanets’ expertise is top-class”
The collaboration with Medanets is praised by Kymsote. The team of the mobile project commends the straightforwardness. “Collaborating with Medanets is just great! We have received responses quickly and comprehensively. Never have I felt like not bothering to ask something. This has indeed made it easier to promote the project. And even though it is a technological solution, you are able to speak a language that we, too, understand,” the team says.
ICT project manager Päivi Asikainen particularly praises the expertise of Medanets’ Service & Delivery team.
Medanets’ expertise is top-class. It is of incredible value! Together with the technology partners, they take care of just about anything. When the Medanets team come on site, the solutions to problems are found right away. Medanets is thoroughly familiar with its own product and also sees opportunities for making overtly complicated things easier. They assist the customer’s deployment organisation in all ways.
Päivi Asikainen, ICT project manager, Kymsote
Kymsote’s technology partner confirms the great feedback. “The collaboration has been exceptionally smooth, fluent and insightful all the time. A good foundation for future deployments!” says ICT specialist Topi Satoniitty from Kymijoen ICT – Kaakkois-Suomen Tieto Oy.
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