As concluded in 2014 annual Congress of Slovenian Medical Informatics Association “Better Information for Better Health”, Terme Zreče, 6th and 7th November 2014.
Two pieces on behalf of TeleTransfusion were presented at the congress. First was held by Marjeta Maček Kvanka, MD MSc showing what telemedicine in Slovenian transfusion network brings in terms of organizational improvements and how these benefits are channeled to the patients.
TeleTransfusion enables continuous workflow in laboratories, standardization of testing procedures among sites and active exchange of experience between laboratories. Pre-transfusion testing is now supervised by transfusion medicine specialists 24/7 nationwide. With telemedicine all patients are equally treated no matter where they are hospitalized. Quicker response time, especially in patients with unexpected antibodies brings safer pre-transfusion practice. Together with her colleagues, dr. Maček also conducted a survey on user satisfaction among laboratory engineers and medical specialist operating as teleconsultants. Majority of professional rate the importance of telemedicine in their daily work as indispensable.
The second presentation was delivered by Xlab’s Tina V. Vavpotič on the economic evaluation. Basis for the calculation was thorough calculation of case workload among sites. In 2013, on average, almost half of the cases at satellite locations were performed via teletransfusion, the number in 2014 are expected to be even higher. In terms of savings, TeleTransfusion brings approximately 700.000 euro of savings per year to Slovenian Blood Transfusion Network compared to pre-telemedicine mode of operation.
Read more about the Congress (in Slovene): www.sdmi.si/sl/novice-read/items/zakljucki-kongresa.html
Both presentations could be downloaded here:
Telemedicine in the Blood Transfusion Service:
www.sdmi.si/tl_files/Strokovna_srecanja/Macek-Kvanka.pdf
Economic Assessment of Telemedicine in Slovenian Blood Transfusion Service: www.sdmi.si/tl_files/Strokovna_srecanja/Vavpotic.pdf
For further information and English version please contact: [email protected]
