the follow-up programme, which will be through Health responds, expected to begin at the end of the month of April in Andalusia

Seville, 23 ( EUROPA PRESS)

The Regional Ministry of health of the Junta de Andalucía has initiated this Friday in Seville the formation of health professionals for the start-up of the project of ' telecontinuidad ' for patients in the final stage of life.

This service will allow, through ' health responds ' and in coordination with professionals of the public health system Andalusian, offer a monitoring individual 24 hours a day to patients in palliative care who have recently been treated at public health, either in hospitals or in primary care through case management nurses.

In order to carry out this monitoring, practitioners will have a computer system containing the information of the patients in palliative care (cancer and non cancer) and from where you will have access to your medical history and care, as well as all calls from health answers.

Single database

The aim is the creation of a single database of these patients, which may be accessed both hospitals, management of cases of primary care nurses and palliative care mobile teams.

This is an element of the continuum of care improvement that practitioners may consult the patient’s evolution at any time through a tool designed for the purpose, in whose use will train 150 health between physicians and nurses that experts be transmitted in their workplace performance of this application, supported by self-help manuals and advised from health answers.

This training of trainers will be extended until 19 April, celebrating a day in each of the Andalusian provinces.

The project investment

This service of telecontinuidad, which has an estimated investment of € 150,000 and will be in operation in all Andalusia in late April, will allow patients and caregivers solve their doubts from their homes through the telephone number 902 505 061, avoiding unnecessary journeys to health centres, to facilitate health professionals follow-up continued for these patients during the evolution of his illness.

From ' health responds ' and following the instructions given through the implementation by the health, contacted patients when it is necessary to check that they are well and do not need medical attention. If necessary any Council or advice, answers health nurses provide and hours later made another call to check if the solution has had effect. If not, the call will result to the 061 that sets in motion the procedure for the patient’s care at his home.

The Andalusian public health system has increased in recent years by 24 per cent its resources advanced for Hospice (from 50 to 62), happened to have with 72 percent of rooms in occupancy in the areas of palliative care, has assumed as their own home care palliative of the Spanish Association against cancer teams 12.

Joined by 19 teams of mixed support for district hospitals, 15 home support units and 15 units of palliative care in hospitals and resources covering 100 per cent of the population.