PATIENT APPOINTMENT RESERVATION SYSTEM (PARS) PROJECT IN LITHUANIA Romualdas Kizlaitis, Ieva Lukošaitytė Informatics and Development Centre Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Klinikos 2008, Luxembourg
Lithuania: Area: 62,500 square km Population: 3.5 Million Capital: Vilnius Language: Lithuanian
Some facts about Lithuanian Health Care: Information provided by Lithuanian Health Information Centre ~160 Hospitals (~100 legal institutions) >400 Outpatient Clinics (~190 legal entities) ~1500 Private Health Care Institutions (~900 odontologists) www.santa.lt
The Main Purpose of the Project: To design and implement Electronic Patient Appointment Booking System in the largest health care institutions of Lithuania. After successful implementation expand System to the rest of the country and make it National Patient Appointment Reservation Service.
2,1 MEUR (about ¾ EU support) 3 years, starting from 1 st of September, 2005 20 Partners largest health care institutions: covering 8 regions, 51 municipalities ~740 000 primary care patients (about ¼ of all population) Handling over 6 000 000 appointments per year
20 Project partners: VU ligoninės Santariškių klinikos KMU Klinikos Šiaulių ligoninė Alytaus apskrities ligoninė Telšių apskrities ligoninė Utenos apskrities ligoninė Kauno apskrities ligoninė Panevėžio ligoninė Klaipėdos Jūrininkų ligoninė M.Marcinkevičiaus ligoninė Kauno Raudonojo kryžiaus ligoninė Alytaus poliklinika Šeškinės poliklinika Vilniaus raj. centrinė poliklinika Vilniaus miesto Centro poliklinika Kauno Centro poliklinika Kauno Šilainių poliklinika Kauno Kalniečių poliklinika Panevėžio miesto poliklinika Klaipėdos miesto PSPC 2 University Hospitals 6 Regional Hospitals 3 City Hospitals 9 Largest Policlinics and Primary Care Centres
Paper based (obsolete) reservation system operator simultaneously works with several registration journals
Paper based (obsolete) reservation system operator must handle telephone calls and direct appeals simultaneously as journals can not be multiplied
Electronic reservation system operators are using computers for booking time of visit The same electronic journal can be used by several operators simultaneously
Reservations among specialists inside institution, including instrumental investigation University Hospital University Hospital Patient appointment reservations, assisted by secondary level specialist Reservations among specialists from different health care institutions Secondary level Secondary level Secondary level Information about all reserved visits SMS confirmations SMS reminders Primary Care Physician assisted Patient appointment reservation to various specialists GP Primary level Patient is able electronically book appointment to his GP or any health care specialist PATIENT
Internet Tel. 1815 sergu.lt PARS
Investment into the Hardware: 580 patient registration and outpatient offices were equipped with modern computers; Central and Satellite Data centres was equipped with new servers; necessary computer network equipment (routers, switches, ups and cabling) was installed in all partner institutions; central call centre was equipped with conversation recording hardware and software; IP-based telephone servers with conversation recording features where installed in partner institutions. Call operators were equipped with SIP based phone hardware (150 workplaces); Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection was established between 20 health care institutions project partners;
Conclusions: The Project improved the national health care system in Lithuania with the greatest direct impact on patient comfort and accessibility of health care services. Appointment reservation system became more transparent, more effective. Patient is satisfied using all possibilities of appointment reservation: Internet, mobile or wired phone, as well as using medical staff assistance.
Conclusions: Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Klinikos is going to continue the Project adding new features to the System and expanding it to the rest of the health care institutions and even private practice like odontology and other medical services.
Vilnius Thank You for Attention! Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu klinikos Romualdas.Kizlaitis@santa.lt