The Reinier de Graaf Hospital (Delft) is expanding its digital care program Zorg Dichtbij with SanaCoach Heart Failure. The Reinier de Graaf outpatient clinic for heart failure wants to use the e-health application to ensure that heart patients can monitor their health from home. Another goal is that patients have to come to the hospital less often for, for example, a check-up appointment.
In recent years, the Delft hospital has introduced the SanaCoach for a series of care pathways. Patients should have more control over their condition with the application – available via PC, tablet and smartphone. They monitor their health via short questionnaires. They also keep track of their blood pressure, weight and any complaints.
Intervene earlier
Practitioners can follow this data online, says Sylvia Spanjaard-van der Zeeuw, heart failure nurse at Reinier de Graaf. “This way we can intervene earlier in the event of problems.” This is also expected to reduce the pressure on the Heart Failure outpatient clinic.
For common complaints or questions, the SanaCoach guides the patient on what to do. Patients with persistent heart failure can share information about their health and body functions with their cardiologist or heart failure nurses. If necessary, a visit to the hospital always remains an option, Reinier de Graaf emphasizes.
Expansion of Care Nearby
Since the Reinier de Graaf Hospital started introducing e-health applications in 2021, the Care Close program has been gradually expanded. Examples are SanaCoaches for permanent lung disease (COPD) and for persistent intestinal inflammation (IBD).
With Zorg Dichtbij, the hospital wants to prevent, move and replace care. Despite rising healthcare costs and problems with obtaining sufficient staff, this should guarantee good and affordable care for everyone. In this context, Reinier de Graaf has also been looking for several years to see whether existing care can be organized differently, for example by engaging a care provider in the neighborhood.
Since 2021, Reinier de Graaf has been working on around 20 plans for Zorg Dichtbij every year. Some are still in development. Other plans are already in daily practice. This includes self-examination for skin cancer; fewer consultations for patients with pain complaints; Fewer visual examinations of the esophagus, stomach and small intestine; treatment at home for cancer patients, replacement of eye specialist for optometrist; fewer consultations for patients with stable rheumatoid arthritis.
More and more hospitals are working with e-health applications such as SanaCoach in areas such as home monitoring. This includes the Diakonessenhuis, the Maasstad Hospital, Vie Curie, the Isala hospital and the Zuyderland.
