Kuopio home care services adopts state-of-the-art technology by using 9Solutions care phone system

In spring 2017 the city of Kuopio introduced a state-of-the-art care phone system to meet the needs of their home care sector. 9Solutions Ltd’s system is installed in homes for all homeowners who need the care phone system – a total of about a thousand locations. As the number of people needing the service increases, the system will continue to expand. Kaija Kokkonen, head of home care services at Kuopio, says the care phone system is intended to help customers – mostly the elderly – to stay at home. Simultaneously the technological solutions help to save costs, for example by eliminating unnecessary visits to customers.

“The savings potential has already begun to be realized.”

”The care phone can be used to connect to an emergency center maintained by the city, where a nurse assesses the situation of the client. If necessary, the nurse will then alert the guardian or the emergency care provider. Costly ambulance visits have been considerably reduced since the new system allows the nurse to see the customer’s health data. They can see when the home care staff has visited the customer and when they are going back to the client. This gives a better picture of the customer’s situation.” says Kokkonen.

According to Kokkonen, an essential improvement is that situational evaluation and follow-ups in security alarms are now integrated into the comprehensive service of customer home care. The reception of security alarms is part of the social security and health services (SOTE-TIKE), where a challenging security alert can be evaluated in cooperation with nurses, social workers or primary care field management. SOTE-TIKE also allows fast medical consultation in an alarm situation. Alongside the Kuopio care phone system hardware, 9Solutions Ltd has also provided easy user interfaces, which will help manage the care phone supply chain, starting with the ordering of the phones and installation of the hardware. This will significantly improve and facilitate the provision of care phones to customers.

“The 9Solutions solution is open and easy to integrate”

9Solutions Ltd’s care phone system includes a safety wristband, a care phone and, if necessary, smart exit management. Pressing the call button in the security bracelet opens a voice connection to the emergency call center using the care phone. You can also use the care phone to make the call. Smart exit management system reports to the alarm center if the resident has opened the door of his home and has not returned within a specified time frame. Another unique aspect in the solution is that the background program continuously monitors the operation of the safety wristband and care phones over a data connection. It indicates if something is not working properly – for example, if the safety wristband is malfunctioning, the battery is running out or the care phone is unavailable due to a network problem or power cord disconnection.

According to Kokkonen, in Kuopio they are satisfied with the 9Solutions system. She also appreciates the fact that if a problem has arisen, the company has resolved it quickly.

“Particularly good thing in the 9Solutions solution is that it is open, easy to integrate and smoothly converses with other systems. Unfortunately we have to deal with the problems caused by closed systems constantly“, she says.

Kuopio’s home care sector prepared the care phone solution together with Istekki Oy, who also handled the competitive tendering of companies participating to the project in various roles. In addition to 9Solutions Ltd, the project also includes Luona Hoiva Ltd, K2 Turvapalvelut Ltd and Posti.

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