Finnish health innovation team in NI for Telemonitoring NI learning visit

The visit follows a weeklong programme of activities to showcase the key role of connected health technology in improving patient outcomes as well as promoting the local economy.

Building on the activities of ‘eHealth Week’ [13 -15 May], the Centre for Connected Health and Social Care (CCHSC) which is part of the Public Health Agency (PHA), was delighted to welcome delegates from the Finnish Health Care System to the TF3 Telemonitoring NI centre in Holywood to see first-hand the fantastic support being offered to people who live with long-term conditions across Northern Ireland.

Telemonitoring NI, a leading example of connected health, was being showcased at the eHealth exhibition and Northern Ireland Connected Health Ecosystem International Event which took place last week. The Telemonitoring NI service provided by the TF3 Consortium, has to date benefited over 1,500 patients with long-term conditions in Northern Ireland, helping them to better manage their health.

 Eddie Ritson, Programme Director of the CCHSC, said: “After presenting at the Finland Plaza this week in Dublin on the Telemonitoring NI service, I was delighted to welcome delegates from Finland to the TF3 Telemonitoring NI centre in Holywood, to see first-hand the telemonitoring service in action.

 “Colleagues learned about the clinical triage service, which is delivered in Northern Ireland by nurses to monitor readings such as blood pressure and weight on a daily basis. This remote management allows patients who would otherwise have to travel to their GP or hospital to be monitored in their own homes. This means less stress for patients and helps them in understanding and managing their condition.

 “Telemonitoring is an excellent example of how modern technology can help deliver a better service for the patient, allowing them to take control and manage their condition with confidence. It also allows more efficient use of the healthcare professional’s time and skills.

 “The service has an ambitious programme for development and next year plans to accelerate the uptake of telehealth into broader clinical conditions and expand into telecare. The visit proved to be a great success allowing us to demonstrate to the Finnish Health Care System how far the service has come and to share experiences on the delivery of telehealth.”

Leading the Finnish delegation, Kalevi Virta, Independent Consultant,  eWELL Oy and Coordinator, at the Centre for Health and Technology, City of Oulu, said: “The monitoring solutions we viewed are an excellent example of how today’s technology can be used to create meaningful services to improve patient care. 

“The implementation and outcomes of the activity are very encouraging and will aid our own development work. We saw many dedicated and satisfied professionals who have clearly seen the great advantage they have when working with the modern monitoring based service. They have created an innovative but practical service concept for the best of their patients.

“We are looking forward to cooperating with the CCHSC, to exchange experiences and also to jointly generate an even better service to support people by enhancing their quality of life in their own homes!”