A hospital in Turkey strikes a new path in patient care.
The Memorial Hospital in Istanbul has discovered a completely new way to care for its patients. A high-tech system by German CCTV/IP pioneer Dallmeier enables doctors, nurses and all other nursing staff to keep a close eye around the clock on patients who are in a critical condition or in need of care. In emergency situations, the hospital staff can react quickly and immediately initiate any necessary medical procedures.
The Memorial Hospital is the first hospital in Turkey to have been certified by the Joint Commission International (JCI). The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organisations, a US-based charitable organisation certifies health care services in order to improve and support their quality and safety respectively. The main goal is to improve the quality of healthcare as well as to reduce potential risks. The medical and logistical units of the Memorial Hospital in Istanbul are equipped and managed according to the international standards of the JCI.
A high-quality and comprehensive system of medical care as well as the guaranteed safety of the patients form two of the various aims of the hospital and they can now be pursued by implementing a mould-breaking concept of patient care. The so-called ‘virtual round’ allows the medical staff to view video images of patients day and night.
The virtual round
It all started with a presentation held at the hospital by Dallmeier’s sales manager Asad Asla, who was supported by the company’s local partner firm OR-DO. “The management of the Memorial Hospital was convinced by the quality of the Dallmeier products”, says Özgün Sapmaztürk, foreign trade & marketing manager with OR-DO.
Subsequently, professor Bingür Sönmez, MD, the head of cardiac surgery, originated the virtual round project. Using a GSM mobile phone, physicians at the Memorial Hospital can view live images of patients in intensive care and are able to take appropriate action immediately should an emergency arise. The intensive care units are equipped with cameras connected to Dallmeier recorders and via GPRS, a connection is established between the mobile phone and the hospital’s central computer. The system’s firewall then forwards the request to the Dallmeier units recording the images.
The Memorial Hospital has chosen to use Dallmeier’s DLS 24 recorder and during a recent system expansion added the DMS 240 model. The high image quality of the live images as well as the recordings was decisive in selecting the Dallmeier units. The devices’ high stability and reliability also convinced the management of the quality of the Dallmeier products.
Furthermore, operation of the system is extremely user-friendly. Presets allow for specifications to be made, for instance patient A or patient B, in order to ensure prompt care. Through applying this technology it is possible to monitor the conditions of critically ill patients 24 hours a day.
Intensive care to facilitate speedy recovery
Sönmez explains the main purpose of the virtual round: “Especially after lengthy and complicated surgeries, many patients suffer from doubts and anxieties as to how their lives will continue. Such psychological burdens naturally have an effect on patients’ convalescence, too.” The virtual round gives doctors and nurses the opportunity to provide patients with intensive care around the clock, because even if staff members are not at the hospital they have wireless Internet access to the images.
“Our patients know that we permanently keep an eye on them and thus they do not feel like being left alone. That moral support significantly helps in speeding up the process of recovery,” says Sönmez.
Besides allowing for a more intensive care for patients, the installation of the surveillance system at the Memorial Hospital has had another positive side-effect. Owing to the detailed recordings, the clinic is able to quickly and definitively resolve disputes regarding possible malpractice. Should an operation go wrong, the question may arise as to whether the attending physician has made any mistakes. Therefore, provided the patient has given consent, the Memorial Hospital uses digital recording devices to record surgeries. Using the recorded images the whole procedure can be reconstructed afterwards.
In case a surgeon becomes the subject of a malpractice dispute, the hospital is able to irrefutably prove exactly what has happened. Since the Dallmeier recorders all have Kalagate certification, the images can even be used for evidential purposes in courts of law.
Sönmez is highly satisfied with the Dallmeier system: “Our virtual round has proven to be a very useful tool and we have already received positive feedback from many of our patients. We were also able to save a lot of time and money by quickly resolving malpractice issues. With Dallmeier we have definitely made a good choice.”
For details contact Dallmeier electronic GmbH & Co.KG, +49 (0) 941/8700-0, presse@dallmeier.com, www.dallmeier.com
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