Accurate management information: a necessity in times of crisis
Werner Vanhees (CFO/COO): “Spikes wanted Zorgbedrijf Antwerpen to gain insight into the degree of infection among employees and clients in their organization as quickly as possible. By linking the right data with work planning, track & trace and other relevant data, it becomes possible for the management team to trace possible infections quickly. With this information, they can take reliable measures for hospitals and residential care centres. If necessary, based on this accurate data, they can proactively start testing to prevent further spread of the virus or even isolate an entire team, department or healthcare facility.”
Digital bundling of aftercare for ex-patients, including volunteer offerings
Werner Vanhees: “Spikes then wanted to further develop the accessible platform Kwiekzilver. Through this website, Zorgbedrijf Antwerpen offers medical and paramedical aftercare and the help of enthusiastic Antwerp volunteers. In the aftermath of Corona, people in need of care can enter what they need through this website. They will be matched with caregivers or volunteers, all screened for the virus, so that treatment can take place safely”.
Partners in the project
For this request from the city of Antwerp, 130 companies and organisations submitted a project. Many proposals were submitted by multidisciplinary teams that wanted to seize the opportunities that digitization offers in this exceptional situation.
For this project the IT company Spikes worked together with Zorgbedrijf Antwerpen. Bingli delivered the digital application that tests on Covid-19. Students Healthcare Management of Thomas More cooperated during their internship by offering help via a helpdesk and answering questions about filling in the Covid-19 test correctly.
Cooperating on innovation
Working together in a multidisciplinary team proved to be an added value for this project.
Werner Vanhees: “Together with the IT department of Zorgbedrijf Antwerpen, we analyzed the existing information systems. In order for the application to succeed, we needed up-to-date and correct data.
To detect infections in the healthcare institution, Spikes published the anonymous Bingli questionnaire on Zorgbedrijf’s intranet. It was completed in a personalized manner by each employee and patient. In a next step, the start-up analyzed the results of tested persons and the infection situation per healthcare institution. All relevant management information was bundled in a data board.
The dashboards were available in May. They map the infections, suspected infections or cured employees and clients for each institution. Fortunately, the epidemic has subsided, but this dashboard is up and running for a possible second wave. And not just for Zorgbedrijf Antwerpen; the dashboard is very generically conceived and can easily be implemented in other organisations.
At the beginning of June, the Kwiekzilver platform was activated for the Antwerp region. Other municipalities were already using this platform to match the care demand of patients with the care on offer. This platform was set up for Zorgbedrijf Antwerpen and combined with databases of volunteers from networks of Zorgbedrijf Antwerpen, Gezinsbond and organisations such as Femma”.
If you would like more information about this project or if you would like to see how your healthcare institution can innovate digitally together with our professionals? Contact us for an informal talk.
