Description
The Molaon Nursing Unit offered the residents of its remote areas of responsibility, through telemedicine, the opportunity to undergo specialized medical examinations completely free of charge and without moving from their place of residence, taking into account the special conditions created by the 2020 epidemic Covid-19 virus.
The program contributed to the prevention of diseases with their early diagnosis, enabled the systematic control and monitoring of chronically ill patients by specialized doctors, and contributed to the creation of an electronic medical file that will allow Doctors to have complete follow-up of their patients.
To the citizens who participated in this innovative action of N.M. The following preventive examinations were performed:
- Short health history download
- Cardiac examination through cardiogram
- Control of vital signs such as blood pressure and oximetry as indicators for assessing the general health of the examinee.
- Complete Hematological test which included General Blood and Biochemical indicators such as glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol etc.
The action also included:
- Completion of individual questionnaires related to menopause and osteoporosis addressed to women over 45 years of age
- The anonymous completion of a questionnaire related to the role of Telemedicine, the results of which will be used for scientific purposes.
The groups were selected based on geographical criteria or at the request of local cultural associations. The actions were carried out with the cooperation of the local associations in each area (eg president of the local cultural association, president of a municipal district), who gathered the data of those wishing to participate in the program.
Later, the coordination team of Telemedicine of N.M. Molaon informed the interested parties by phone about the date and time of the action (setting a specific appointment for each interested party, in order to avoid synchronization and better service) and to provide them with specific instructions regarding the exams to be taken.
Then, on the specific date per action, the competent team of the Hospital went to the place of action, where the above examinations and blood sampling took place, always in strict compliance with all instructions and safety protocols of EODY regarding the COVID-19 epidemic. With the extraction of the test results, a specialized doctor of the hospital visited the respective village again and personally informed each examinee about the results of his tests and directed him further in case this was required.
These actions took place from July to October 2020 and a total of 260 people were examined. There was no age criterion and so the sample included young adolescents up to 95-98 years old. One of the interesting findings of the action was that among these 260 people who participated, a significant portion of them had never had a preventive examination in their lifetime, not even a simple general blood test.
Target
The aim of this action was the prevention and early diagnosis of health problems of the inhabitants of remote areas, as well as the further promotion of Primary Health Care.
Collaborations
The implementation of the program was based on the principles of Telemedicine and the advanced technology of the systems of the Vodafone Foundation. The actions were carried out with the cooperation of the respective local associations in each area.
Maintaining and integrating innovation after the COVID-19 crisis
The telemedicine program may continue after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Organization: Nursing Unit of Molaon, Laconia
Scope: Local government
Policy area: Health
Resolution issue: Provision of medical services to residents of remote areas who cannot move from home
Year: 2020
Innovation Type: Change in the way the service is provided
Beneficiaries: Residents of the municipality who are unable or not allowed to move as part of measures to limit the spread of covid-19
Innovation Stage: Implementation
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzm9AGxdS3E