23 June 2021
Keep on rolling
If you’re a healthcare professional, you may not know the bewilderment some of us go through when doctors throw medical jargon at us. All the poor patient wants to know is “am I OK or – or not?”
Fortunately, the medical community is aware of this issue and is working on communicating better with patients. In their quest to improve patient experience, they are also looking at how technology and digitalisation can improve healthcare.
The latest developments in this field were shown on 10 June at the 10th edition of the ‘Supporting Health by Technology’ series organised by The Centre for eHealth & Wellbeing Research of the University of Twente in the Netherlands.
Unilabs’ Chief Innovation Officer, Dr Esther Talboom-Kamp, was one of the speakers. She presented the results of a study on patient’ reaction to Unilabs’ patient portal, used to communicate test results.
Crafted to create reports that are easily understandable, the portal’s simplicity was well received. It offers a way to help patients take a more active role in managing their own health.
“Research shows that better-informed people make decisions that better reflect their personal preferences, which leads directly to better health outcomes. Digitalisation is a fantastic way to empower patients. The benefits are less anxiety, higher satisfaction, and better compliance with treatments and lifestyle changes,” said Dr Talboom-Kamp.
During the event, Unilabs Innovation Team members Annelijn Goedhart and Vincent Molenaar also demonstrated one of the latest developments in the diagnostics field: blood self-sampling.
“It’s all about convenience. Blood self-sampling will allow patients to look after their health. There is a wide range of tests available they can request without leaving their house. We are in the early days of home diagnostics.”