Solutions that relieve healthcare services in the covid-19 crisis

IDENTIFIED NEEDS AND SOLUTIONS THAT MEET THOSE NEEDS

The needs, and the respective solutions meeting those needs, have been bundled in nine categories:

REMOTE MONITORING OF CHRONICS

Solutions to keep patients with chronic diseases (for instance cardiovascular or respiratory) safe at home are needed. The need is addressed with equipment, forms and communication tools designed for elderly users, for remote monitoring of patients’ vitals and other indicators – including decision making tools that can identify patients in need of remote care or healthcare by a mobile team or intensive care at a hospital. All connected.

Available solutions:

• Remote monitoring of chronics with a clinically proven decision support tool for professionals. LifePod by Cross Technology Solutions provides a solution helping care teams prioritize the patients with the greatest needs, by monitoring and analyzing vitals such as pulse, blood pressure, temperature, respiratory rate, general condition and medication.
• Self-care tool for the elderly suffering from chronical conditions. Optilogg by CareLigo is designed for elderly multi-chronics with heart failure, and has been clinically proved to reduce hospitalization for patients by 50%.
• Digital home care, with communication tools and equipment for at home measuring and wireless transfer of vitals. Cuviva provides an easy to understand package, designed for frail elderly and multi-chronic disease patients, including tools for measuring and transferring vitals such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse, saturation, weight and blood glucose to care units such as primary care or mobile teams.
• Online blood pressure physician which uses digital aids, artificial intelligence and a portable device to detect irregularities. Accumbo provide a clinical decision support system used to remotely prevent, monitor and treat patients with chronic diseases associated with metabolic syndrome.
• ECG monitoring equipment and remote study of arrhythmia provided by Coala Life. The Coala Heart monitor takes an ECG in 60 seconds and is easy to use for the patient.
• Adherence to medication can be facilitated by easy to use tools, such as Popit, a simple devise which registers pills taken and alerts if not.
• Salusmea is an app and wristband which alert and monitor solution that ensures the safety of the independent elderly by signalling caregivers, professionals, and family irregularities in the patient’s vitals, falls, and location through geofencing.Self-monitoring, self-care tools and tools supported by a professional:
• Self-tracking tools to follow-up on potential signs of a chronic disease. A solution addressing this need is provided by Miiskin, a smart app-based tool that automatically tracks and compares skin moles and spots to provide information about potential skin cancer.
• Joint Academy is a digital treatment program for patients experiencing joint pain or osteoarthritis . The program provide interactive lessons, physical activities, and progress-tracking. Patients using the tool report an 88% increase in physical function and 85% decrease in joint pain, leading to a 42% drop in pain killer usage and a 31% drop in diagnosed patients no longer consider surgery.
• Digital solutions that help treat chronic conditions, lowering the need for doctor visits and medication. Rehaler tackles chronic migraine by treating its symptoms through their app and device, which adjusts levels of oxygen and CO2 sent to the brain to relief migraine attacks. To date, 70% of users’ attacks have been stopped or reduced.

MOBILE TEAMS

Mobile teams, for home healthcare, when face-to-face care is necessary but hospital care can be avoided. Solutions include equipment, remote data transfer to and from EMR systems, prioritization and decision support, secure communication, video support to personnel, resource coordination and tools for the patient (self-care and communication).

Available solutions:

• Equipment for measuring and wireless transfer of vitals. Cuviva is digitizing home care, and is currently also offering the equipment for measuring and wireless transfer of temperature, blood pressure, pulse, saturation, weight and blood glucose to mobile teams.
• ECG monitoring equipment and remote study of arrhythmia provided by Coala Life. The Coala Heart monitor takes an ECG in 60 seconds and can be connected to relevant healthcare professionals.
• Retrieving patient EMR/EHR data and managing bedside documentation inputs via mobile device. Medanets provides a mobile app helping healthcare professionals utilise EMR/EHR data remotely, and document new point-of-care data to the system. The solution is integrated with major EMR/EHR systems in the Nordics.
• Professional assistance to on-site staff via video and a head-mounted camera, the tool is provided by JodaPro. In case of emergency:
• Capturing all necessary information, such as vitals before initiating transport and in the ambulance, up until the release of the patient from the emergency room (home or care unit). Aweria, covering 10% of the pre-hospital care in Sweden, provides a stand-alone solution that can be incorporated with minimum effort into any pre-hospital emergency care operation.Patient self-care and communication:
• An easy to use communication tool and equipment can be left with the patient for remote monitoring and planning of recurring visits. Such a solution is provided by Cuviva. A similar solution supplied by CareLigo is clinically proven to reduce hospitalization for patients with heart failure by 50%. CareLigo’s solution is designed specifically for elderly without any experience with technology and multi-chronics.
• Prioritizing visits to the patients with chronic diseases that have the greatest need requires a clinically proven prioritization tool and remote monitoring. Cross Technology Solutions, provide such as solution, it allows for remote monitoring of patients and analyzing vitals such as pulse, blood pressure, temperature, respiratory rate, general condition and medication.
• Online blood pressure physician which uses digital aids, artificial intelligence and a portable device to detect irregularities. Accumbo provide a clinical decision support system used to remotely prevent, monitor and treat patients with chronic diseases associated with metabolic syndrome.

SECURE ONLINE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PATIENT AND PROFESSIONAL

Avoiding physical interaction as much as possible is of essence during the covid-19 pandemic. Solutions for secure online communication between patients and healthcare professionals are available for rapid and wide adoption.

Available solutions:

• An immediate and secure communication tool, that doesn’t require complex system integration, to connect healthcare professionals and patients. KIND provide an app doing just that. The app handle asynchronous chat, video, and file transfer (text and pdf) where patient primary care can be conducted digitally.
• For therapists and other professions with their own clinic or similarly, Kara Connect provide a virtual office and tools to set up operation with digital visits. The virtual office can be set up within a few minutes.

EMERGENCY CARE AND AMBULANCE

Efficient care in emergency situations is needed, from the moment the emergency call is received by the operator to when the patient is released from the ER unit.

Available solutions:

• Capturing all necessary information and communication regarding the patient from the emergency call via vitals in the ambulance, to the patient release from the emergency room. Aweria, covering 10% of the pre-hospital care in Sweden, provides such a stand-alone solution that can be incorporated with minimum effort into any pre-hospital emergency care operation. The solution also allow for communications and vital data capture in the ambulance.

REALLOCATING PERSONNEL

Vast numbers of healthcare personnel are currently being reallocated for combating the covid-19 pandemic, making sure their competences are up to date for the new duties is of essence.

Available solutions:

• Competence mapping, self-assessment and e-learning platform for healthcare practitioners which facilitates the reallocation of staff where most needed. The tool, supplied by Dossier, provides, among other things, base-level self-assessments, training plans and outcome reporting in order to assure solid capability management.

DIGITAL VISITS IN PRIMARY CARE

Off-loading and preventing physical interaction in primary care is a vital need during the covid-19 pandemic. Online primary care providers supply solutions through digital platforms with tools for secure online communication between patients and healthcare professionals.

Available solutions:

• Online care providers supply solutions that can off-load traditional physical primary care. Min Doktor handles digital primary care through the use of asynchronous chat and video, including digital procedures such as triage, decision support, EMR/EHR documentation, referrals and planning. Platforms for online care and tools for such digital functionalities are also provided by Visiba Care, Doctrin and Collabodoc.
• An immediate and secure communication tool, that doesn’t require complex system integration, to connect healthcare professionals and patients. KIND provide an app doing just that. The app handle asynchronous chat, video, and file transfer (text and pdf) where patient primary care can be conducted digitally.
• For therapists and other professions with their own clinic or similarly, Kara Connect provide a virtual office and tools to set up operation with digital visits. The virtual office can be set up within a few minutes.
• Digital process support for care procedures. Frisq provide a solution supporting processes in for instance COPD, diabetes, surgery, psychiatry, rehab and patients with chronic diseases in primary care. Frisq’s solution is also available as a SaaS platform.
• Healthcare specific digital translation tool that eases communication between patient and professional with language barriers. Such a solution is provided by Care to Translate, available in 31 languages; including Swedish and Danish.

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health issues are increasing amongst young, adults and elderly due to the covid-19 pandemic. Solutions that combat these issues include solutions for prevention and treatment through healthcare professionals as well as self-care. The listed self-care tools can all be recommended by healthcare professionals as tools for patients to use to further relieve the healthcare services during the pandemic. In many cases, suppliers offer covid-19 specific services.

Available solutions for prevention:

• Self-care tools helping individuals handling mild signs of stress, anxiety and worries is provided by Remente, an app based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and used by millions of people and major corporations that assist employees deal with pandemic related issues.
• Self-care tools through online training designed by certified psychologists are provided by several companies: Lägereld, a primary care psychology service, provides information and training related to many different issues. Mindfulness Center and Lifekeys provide online training focused on reducing stress and anxiety. Sumondo provide a digital tool to reduce and manage stress.
• A self-care tool helping individuals quit smoking with a CBT based app is provided by Alex Therapeutics. The app, Alex AI, has a success rate seven times higher than nicotine replacement therapies.
• In addition to helping prevent and treat insomnia, Learning to Sleep provide self-assessment tools for individuals that are worried or anxious. During the pandemic Learning to Sleep also provide general assistance by psychologists to individuals.
• Self-care tools for recovery of chronic brain conditions such as strokes, injury, early stage Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’ disease are provided by Brain+ through their app-based brain rehabilitation programs which accelerate recovery and provide progress-tracking tools to the professional.Youth specific prevention and self-care:
• Social Academy provide CBT based digital courses teaching young people and adolescents skills to cope and gain self-efficacy during and after the covid-19 pandemic.
• Progress Me provide self-assessment and support tools as well as a community for young people with eating disorders. Progress Me also allow family members and professional caregivers to follow the progress, once the patient has given their consent.Specific for caring for elderly or young disabled:
• A tool for family and friends to stay in touch with their elderly or disabled young relatives as well as care personnel. The tool is provided by JodaCare and include a specially designed tablet and online system and is used to share information such as text, photos and videos.

Available solutions for self-treatment and treatment supported by a professional:

• Online professional psychologist service for individuals, organizations and businesses is provided by LifeKeys. The service includes video and telephone consultations and theme-based webinars with authorized therapists. Online therapy through certified psychologists is also provided by Lägereld and, during the covid-19 pandemic, Learning to Sleep.
• A self-treatment tool for depression is provided by Flow Neuroscience. The tool is medication free and instead uses a brain stimulation headset and therapy app.
• Online CBT based treatment of insomnia with digital tools and therapy sessions with certified psychologists is provided by Learning to Sleep. A digital tool for self-assessment and treatment of insomnia is provided by Sleepcure. Digital tools specifically for healthcare professionals:
• Healthcare professionals, such as psychologists, can set up an online practice to minimize physical contact and help more clients. Kara Connect is a highly appreciated tool that can be set up in minutes and include secure video, notes, calendar and all other necessary tools to run the practice.
• Secure patient self-reporting tools for mental health treatment are provided by CheckWare. The tools include a complete set of digital assessments, remote monitoring and online treatment programs that help increase the quality of treatment and free up clinical resources. Find additional digital tools for visits in primary care here.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND RE-ENTRY STRATEGY FOR EMPLOYERS

Employers are facing occupational health challenges because of covid-19. Distinct issues include an adequate re-entry strategy to physical premises, appropriate care of employee health situation and follow up and action on mental health. These issues are triggering, both short and long term, effects in wellbeing and productivity within organizations.

Available solutions:

• Online platforms with decision making tools that empower line managers and HR teams to appropriately follow up individual employees health and manage absentees. Takenote Systems is such a solution, which has achieved a reduction in sick leave by more than 30%. Widely used, especially by businesses with out-of-site sales forces and craftsman and construction companies.
• A platform that allow organisations to do follow-ups on staff’s health status give employers a key decision-making tool on regards to care, shift management, and prioritization. The platform provided by CheckWare has been widely used by hospitals especially during the pandemic.Wellbeing and mental health in the workplace:
• Communication and survey-based platforms that allow organizations to measure well-being and levels of stress. Happy at Work offer a tool that allow management and HR to measure stress, analyse trends, and anonymously communicate with employees via a secure chat. Currently serving 10.000 users from companies in over 20 countries.
• Wellbefy help organizations holistically improve employees’ physical, mental and social wellbeing through its user-generated and science-based digital platform; which provides decision making tools and anonymous trend follow-up.
• Digital communication and assessment platform that offers employees wellbeing self-assessments, and direct contact with health coaches, certified psychologists, counsellors, and physicians. Such a solution is provided by My-E-Health, which also allows companies to proactively manage their staff wellbeing through ad hoc portals with periodic psycho metrics to measure progress, provide feedback and support through a comprehensive dashboard. Find additional mental health solutions that may be applied in a corporate setting here.

CARE BACKLOG

A high number of medical procedures, interventions and follow-ups have been postponed or cancelled due to covid-19. This is causing a negative outcome in people’s overall health and generating pressure and bottlenecks on entire healthcare systems. However, solutions to combat the backlog are available. We have divided the solutions into three key areas, Primary care, Specialist care and Elderly care and outlined where the specific solutions are applicable.

Especially care for elderly have generated a healthcare backlog since providing care for elderly has proven to be a challenge during the pandemic. The pandemic has also demonstrated challenges in the relationships between professionals, healthcare facilities, care homes and family members in regard to elderly care. Digital solutions in three key areas could help fortify this relationship through digital cooperation.

Available solutions:

DIGITAL TRIAGE AND ONLINE VISITS: Online primary care solutions that combine video chat with digital support tools and which assure easy access to patients, timely and accurate triage and a faster overall process aids in shortening the backlog. For elderly caregivers the solutions can effectively streamline patients’ needs. The solutions enable a digital cooperation between primary care, specialists, and elderly care homes. Read about the below solutions here.
Solution provider	Primary care	Specialist care	Elderly care
Min Doktor	X		X
Visiba Care	X		X
Doctrin	X		X
Collabodoc	X		X
KIND	X		X
Kara Connect	X		X
Frisq	X		X
Care to Translate	X		X
SELF-MONITORING, SELF-CARE TOOLS AND TOOLS SUPPORTED BY A PROFESSIONAL: The solutions allow patients to access care timely and effectively while off-loading the healthcare system. The solutions are prescribed during triage or, when appropriate, accessed directly by the patient. The solutions also include tools designed specifically for elderly patients which further off-load the healthcare system. Read about the below solutions here.
Solution provider	Primary care	Specialist care	Elderly care
Miiskin	X	X	X
Joint Academy	X	X	X
Rehaler	X	X	X
REMOTE MONITORING OF CHRONICS: Solutions to keep patients with chronic diseases (for instance cardiovascular, respiratory or orthopedic) safe and monitored at home as well as identifying patients in need of care. These solutions are particularly applicable for specialist care and reduce amount of treatment required and recovery time. The solutions free up medical resources (studies show a 50% decrease in hospital care) which can then be used elsewhere for other patients and thus shortening the backlog. Solutions include tools for self-care and are often designed for elderly users, monitoring vitals and other indicators. Read about the below solutions here.
Solution provider	Primary care	Specialist care	Elderly care
Cross Technology Solutions	X	X	X
CareLigo	X	X	X
Cuviva	X	X	X
Accumbo	X	X	X
Coala Life	X	X	X
Popit	X	X	X
Salusmea			X
MENTAL HEALTH: Solutions for prevention and treatment through healthcare professionals as well as self-care. The self-care tools can all be recommended by healthcare professionals as tools for patients to use to relieve healthcare and aid in shortening the backlog. Read about the below solutions here.
Solution provider	Primary care	Specialist care	Elderly care
Remente	X	X
Lägereld	X	X
Mindfulness Center	X	X
Lifekeys	X	X
Sumondo	X	X
Alex Therapeutics	X	X
Learning to Sleep	X	X
Brain+	X	X	X
Social Academy	X	X
Progress Me	X	X
JodaCare	X	X
Flow Neuroscience	X	X
Sleepcure	X	X
CheckWare	X	X	X
Kara Connect	X	X	X
KIND		X	X
PRIORITIZATION AND DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS: Digital support tools for healthcare systems and professionals that could reinforce communication between care home, healthcare system and family that will increase efficiency in pre & post-surgery/procedure process, improve decision making, queue management, re-prioritization, and patient journey. In regard to mental health the solutions can also prioritize cases for “immediate intervention”. Read more about the solutions below.
Solution provider	Primary care	Specialist care	Elderly care
Remote monitoring and self-reporting platforms enable professionals to re-prioritize interventions and optimize time spent with patients. Such a solution is provided by Checkware, which reduces time spent on each medical contact by 30% and administrative work by 64% based on four million cases processed with the platform.		X	X
Doctrin’s platform provides automated medical history, communication, and decision support tools for health professionals, which increases the number of patients being helped by 33% per clinical hour and reduces waiting times for physical procedures from 4-6 weeks to 1-3 days.		X	X