03.02. Detalle

SPEX proposes a solution based on the creation of a network of healthcare outposts centred around a Centre of Excellence for a given specialty to improve the continuity of care offered to its clients and the case mix that the Centre handle directly.

SPEX proposes a solution based on the creation of a network of healthcare outposts centred around a Centre of Excellence for a given specialty to improve the continuity of care offered to its clients and the case mix that the Centre handle directly. This model of healthcare delivery network, that we will call from now on a Network of Excellence, relies on a hub & spoke telematic network, in which the Centre of Excellence plays the role of hub and the healthcare outpost that of spokes. The Centre of Excellence and the outposts or “Points of Care” collaborate within a contractual framework that is being currently defined. The contractual framework must guarantee that rights and duties of the various subjects within the Network of Excellence and of the Points of Care and that the domains of responsibility of the two are clearly defined to avoid gaps, overlapping or cannibalisation of business to the detriment of one of the parties.

The “Points of Care” are in principle existing public and private healthcare outlets, which, in the SPEX model, are trained and accredited by the Centre of Excellence for a given specialty and are given access, via a variety of services, to the specialist knowledge of the Centre of Excellence. It cannot be excluded that in same cases new outlets will be created to complete the coverage of a territory or to prime-pump the process of creating the Network but this is considered an exception rather than the rule.

The Network of Excellence model creates a win-win situation where the Centre of Excellence gains control of its destiny while the Point of Care improves its image and reputation. This cannot fail to increase the patient catchment ability of both either in quantitative or qualitative terms or in both.

In the logic of the Network of Excellence model, the Centre of Excellence, in exchange for a fee, “certifies” the clinical quality of the Point of Care gives it the authorisation to use its “brand” and provides it with a number of services centred around:

• Professional development of medical personnel (through eLearning applications but also through “traditional” face-to-face training activities) leading to the fast spread of medical knowledge and early adoption of innovative diagnostic and treatment techniques;
• Sharing of clinical guidelines, clinical protocols and patient records;
• Remote consultancy services on specific cases through second opinion and interactive tele-consultation applications

SPEX proposes to adopt a concept borrowed from the commercial marketplace which is expected to be more compatible with the European culture, i.e. the creation of a Network of Excellence.

In this model, which is heavily reliant on a hub & spoke telematic network, the Centres of Excellence create a network of existing public and private healthcare outlets, the “Points of Care” and use these as “outposts” to reach patients and provide clinical expertise to them over a wider geographical area. The “Points of Care” are existing public and private healthcare outlets, which, in the SPEX model, are trained and accredited by the Centre of Excellence for a given specialty and are given access, via second opinion and tele-consultation services, to the specialist knowledge of the Centre of Excellence.

Thanks to the SPEX scheme, the Centre of Excellences gain control over their destiny while the Points of Care improve their image and reputation, which cannot fail to increase their patient catchment ability.

Objectives of the SPEX services

Today in most European countries there is no or limited direct link between Health Centres of Excellence (HCE) and peripheral healthcare structures. In a certain number of cases this results in patients and relatives unnecessarily undertaking long and expensive travels in order to visit an HCE, also when they could have been equally well treated locally. Consulting patients with relatively ordinary health conditions also takes valuable specialists’ time away from serious cases and research activities which represent their mission and would benefit the society at large. SPEX wants to market validate a new co-operative care model which makes better use of the clinical competences available in the HCEs and the healthcare peripheral structures and thus:

• Increases the capability of peripheral structures to cope with patients affected by less severe pathologies;
• Relieves the burden on HCEs thus enabling them to focus on their primary care and research mission;
• Allows patients easier and cheaper access to high-quality healthcare services.

In order to reach the mentioned goals, SPEX intends to create a telematic network able to connect HCEs and peripheral structures with one another.

Through this network,

• the peripheral structures will get from the HCE:
  • Medical knowledge, clinical guidelines and professional training through eLearning activities;
  • Support in their care activity through tele-consultation and tele-counselling facilities (e.g. second opinion);
  • Collaboration in the management of patients under protocol through protocol-oriented shared patient records;
  • Accreditation and branding, to certify the clinical level of the peripheral structure and enhance its image in its neighbourhood.
• the HCE will:
  • expand its geographical coverage and its catchment area;
  • rationalise the use of its resources;
  • generate extra revenues (through fees collected from the peripheral structures) to be re-invested in medical research and further professional improvement of its clinical staffs.

The SPEX idea aims to apply to healthcare a Network of Excellence model, which has given excellent results in the commercial marketplace because of its clever blend of central planning and branding, and local entrepreneurship. The technology needed to implement the hub & spoke network is available from the market, is well mastered by the SPEX technical partners and has been tested in previous field trials.

Assumption

The Market Validation phase aims to demonstrate that a Network of Excellence model supported by a set of telematic and telemedicine services is a suitable tool for creating a healthcare delivery network which allows clinical Centres of Excellence to look after citizens where they live or work over a vast geographical area which can cut across national borders if required.

The validation of the model will cover the acceptance of the underlying telematic and telemedicine services by patients and health professionals, the assessment of the impact of the collaboration on the quality of care delivered and the economic impact of introducing the Network of Excellence model and the underlying ICT services in the healthcare delivery chain.

Participantes

Contacto

Dr. Lorenzo Cammelli
Centro Cardiologico Monzino, S.p.A
Via Parea, 4, 20138, Milano (Italy)
Tfno.: +39 0258002237
Fax: +39 0258002623
E-mail: Lorenzo.Cammelli@ccfm.it
Web: http://www.cardiologicomonzino.it/italiano/index.asp