The entire healthcare system is to benefit from increased use of technology that will improve communication, efficiency and the patient experience
- 28 August 2013
Technology is the next frontier in healthcare and the above-mentioned Spanish regions are joining together to leverage technology to improve the healthcare system. Through this innovative project, citizens of these regions will be able to benefit from electronic health records, e-prescriptions, online appointments and telemedicine.
Electronic health records will make it easier for healthcare workers to get a full picture of a patient’s medical history and will facilitate patient mobility. E-prescriptions will result in error-free, understandable and easily renewed prescriptions. Online appointments will result in easier tracking both by healthcare facilities and patients themselves. Finally, telemedicine is vital in bringing medical assistance to those located in remote areas.
Computer-aided healthcare
A great deal of progress has been made with regard to e-health thanks to this project. Already, 96 % of healthcare centres have software installed to facilitate clinical management by family doctors and paediatricians. The patients of 65 % of healthcare centres can make their medical appointments online. Doctors and other healthcare professionals can consult the medical records, results of medical tests and prescribe medication via computerised systems. 97 % of hospitals have installed information systems for the management of admissions, beds, agendas and external appointments. Over 60 % of Spanish hospitals have a storage system for digital imaging and more than 90 % have a Laboratory Information System.
Making healthcare safer and easier for providers and end-users
The project is having a hugely positive effect on patient health in the regions. The online nature of patient records means that people have greater mobility as they can move between these regions without fear of their medical history being lost.
Doctors, nurses and administrative staff also benefit hugely from the ability to consult patient history easily and therefore provide faster and more accurate diagnosis and treatment. Also, waiting times and administrative errors are reduced by the clarity of online systems.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “E-Health” is EUR 33 508 000, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 7 804 013.20 through the Operational Programme “Knowledge-based Economy”, priority 1 “Development of the Knowledge Economy (R&D&I: Information Society and ICT)”, for the 2007-2013 programming period.