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TANNE goes live
In Germany, it is the State of Bavaria that has long pioneered the use of digital medical solutions. Continuing this pioneering spirit the region´s doctors and nurses will now use telemedical solutions, in the sensitive area of palliative care. TANNE ("Telemedical Answers to Neuropalliative Inquiries in Real Time") will see specialist Bavarian based Palliative out-patient care teams (SAPV) and hospices receive in-depth consultation and therepy suggestions for their patients, from experienced neurologists at Agatharied Hospital in Hausham. With the backing of the German Innovation Fund and following several months of intensive preparation, a positive vote from the Ethics Council, has meant that the first patients can now be enrolled into the care study of the TANNE project. The focus is on the evaluation of telemedical supported intervention (teleconsil) for palliative patients with neurological symptoms or diseases. MEYTEC has equipped the palliative care teams with special telemedicine devices. Tablet computers, utilising MEYDOC® App software, are used by the SAPV teams to enable the virtual presentation of patients during the teleconsults. The security of the data transmission, using MEYDOC® App, has been approved by a European data protection seal from the independent testing company ePrivacy. To ensure reliable Internet availability, the devices utilise mobile data cards from two different network providers. One data SIM is installed in the device, while the second one is fitted into an external mobile LTE router.
Further information: tanne-telemed.de ,
meydoc.de
MEYDOC® gets the ePrivacyseal EU data protection seal
At the start of 2021, the MEYTEC telemedicine solution MEYDOC® was awarded the ePrivacyseal EU data protection seal. MEYDOC® is a solution for secure end-to-end encrypted video communication in the medical environment. By achieving this seal of approval, through the independent certification company ePrivacy GmbH, MEYTEC has ensured that the MEYDOC® solution conforms with the associated processes and strict criteria relating to EU data protection law (EU-GDPR). The ePrivacyseal EU was awarded following an in-depth technical and legal review of all relevant system components and associated product documentation. In addition to the certification of a quality management system in accordance with DIN EN ISO 13845:2016, the data protection seal (ePrivacyseal EU)* provides reassurance for MEYTEC customers when choosing its telemedicine products. This is further evidence that MEYTEC is committed to complying with and respecting applicable EU data protection principles in the secure design of its products and the processes involved.
*Important note: The ePrivacyseal EU confirms compliance with the ePrivacyseal criteria catalogue, which includes the requirements of EU data protection law in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation. It is not an accredited certification procedure in the sense of Artt. 42 and 43 EU-GDPR. Find out more at eprivacy.eu
The medical team around the neurological expert Prof. Francesco Corea (Cascia, Italy) has investigated the perspectives of teleconsultations with MEYDOC® during the corona pandemic (COVID-19) as outpatient service for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for a broader implementation of telemedicine for many diseases has become apparent. Televisits are one type of telemedicine in which clinical visits are conducted remotely using an audio-visual connection with the patient at home. The use of televisits is more established in Stroke care but was also recently formally evaluated for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). This retrospective case series describes patient characteristics and reasons for televisits in persons with MS during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in Italy, which was declared in February 2020.
Methods: Recruitment occurred in a general hospital based MS clinic during Italy’s lockdown months period (9 March-18 May). Each subject completed at least one televisit. The baseline data included were demographics and MS history; reasons for the remote house calls were analyzed focusing on COVID-19 related needs.
Results: Forty-six participants completed at least one study visit. The patients enrolled were more often females suffering from Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS). Half of the patients had an intermediate level of education and lived within a 60 min drive from the clinic. These patients predominately had a short disease duration and were mostly involved in oral treatment. The main reasons for the call were drug use and counseling on social distancing. In 5 cases, COVID-19 infection was reported.
Conclusions: Televisits during the COVID-19 outbreak demonstrated their utility as a care delivery method for MS. Hence, it is vital to facilitate the implementation of this technology in common practice to both face infectious threats and increase accessibility of the health care system.
Link to studies (EN): pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33477432/
MDPI | Neurology International, 2021, 13, PDF: Telemedicine during the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic: A Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Outpatients Service Perspective
Telemedicine service for the home care of patients with Multiple Sclerosis in Umbria
A new telemedicine service for patients with Multiple Sclerosis will be set up in the Italian region Umbria providing video based consultations at home. The technological partner MEYTEC will deliver their MEYDOC® solution for the aftercare of patients in their home environment by clinicians. The patients at home can use the MEYDOC® Client App on their private smartphones and tablets for free. The clinician uses the Windows™ based software MEYDOC® Master, that can enable a multipoint session with up to 16 participants simultaneously. The new telemedicine services will be provided to around 300 patients located in the region.
Telemedicina per affetti da sclerosi | 24.03.2020, ANSA - FOLIGNO (PERUGIA)
Report on ansa.it
Innovationsfondsprojekt TANNE gestartet
Das vom Innovationsfonds geförderte Projekt TANNE – Telemedizinische Antworten auf Neuropalliative Nachfragen in Echtzeit ist im Oktober 2020 gestartet. Die bereits lokal erprobten Televisiten mittels telemedizinischer Lösung MEYDOC® sollen nun flächendecken in ganz Bayern eingesetzt und im Rahmen einer gesundheitsökonomischen Studie durch ein Expertenteam evaluiert werden. Demnächst wird auch eine Projektseite verfügbar sein, worüber sich die Interessenten über das Projekt TANNE sowie den Studiendesign informieren könnten.
Link zur G-BA Seite: innovationsfonds.g-ba.de/projekte/neue-versorgungsformen/tanne-telemedizinische-antworten-auf-neuropalliative-nachfragen-in-echtzeit.353
Interprofessionell zusammenarbeiten – für die Sicherheit der Patienten: Weg von Insellösungen hin zu Netzwerken
Auf der Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Klinische Pharmazie (DGKPha) stellte Dr. Christiane Weck vom Krankenhaus in Aghataried (Bayern) den telemedizinischen Service für Palliativ-Patienten vor. Die MEYDOC® Lösung vernetzt die spezialisierten ambulant tätigen Palliativversorgungs-Team mit dem Neurologie-Spezialisten in der Klinik. Dank einem solchen Kontakt sind individuelle Symptomkontrollen, Diagnose neurologischer Symptomatik sowie Unterstützung bei apparativen Problemen (bspw. Einstellung der Heimbeatmung, Befüllung der Schmerzpumpe o.ä.) vor Ort möglich.
Link zum Zeitungsartikel vom 28.11.2019: deutsche-apotheker-zeitung.de/daz-az/2019/daz-48-2019/interprofessionell-zusammenarbeiten-fuer-die-sicherheit-der-patienten
Telemedicine in Palliative Care: Implementation of New Technologies to Overcome Structural Challenges in the Care of Neurological Patients
Background: Telemedicine provides a possibility to deal with the scarcity of resources and money in the health care system. Palliative care has been suggested to be appropriate for an increasing number of patients with neurodegenerative disorders, but these patients often lack care from either palliative care or neurology. Since palliative care means a multidisciplinary approach it is meaningful to use palliative care structures as a basis. There exists no systematic access to neurological expertise in an outpatient setting. A successful link of two existing resources is shown in this project connecting the Department of Neurology of an University Hospital with specialized outpatient palliative care (SPC) teams. A videocounselling system is used to provide expert care for neurological outpatients in a palliative setting.
Methods: A prospective explorative single arm pilot trial was implemented to provide a mobile telesystem for 5 SPC teams. The opportunity was given to consult an expert in neuropalliative care at the specialized center in the hospital (24/7). Semistructured interviews were conducted with the physicians of the SPC teams after a trial duration of 9 months.
Results: Our data provides strong evidence that the technical structure applied in this project allows a reasonable neurological examination at distance. Qualitative interviews indicate a major impact on the quality of work for the SPC teams and on the quality of care for neurological patients.
Conclusion: The system proves to be useful and is well accepted by the SPC teams. It supplies a structure that can be transported to other disciplines.
Link to studies (EN): ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6542948
ResearchGate Publication: researchgate.net/publication/333355835_Telemedicine_in_Palliative_Care_Implementation_of_New_Technologies_to_Overcome_Structural_Challenges_in_the_Care_of_Neurological_Patients