Telecare for eldery - A socio-economic analyse of the use of Videotelephony in the care for eldery (First phase : November 2001 - October 2003)

Description :

Society today is facing an ageing population and, as a result, an increase in expenditure on healthcare for the elderly. In turn, the involvement of new technologies of the information society for this elderly care might both optimise healthcare organisation and better manage the flow of expenditure emanating from it.

During phase one of the project, knowledge acquired from the European technological research project HAS Video will be used in order to develop a testing ground within OCMW/CPAS care services in the town of Kortrijk. Within this testing ground, dozens of different users will be provided with the appropriate equipment in order to allow high-quality video communication (high bit-rate, symmetrical two-way) with the services centre by means of large TV pictures. Development of this testing ground and service execution constitute the primary objective of phase 1.

The following questions will be examined at the start of the pilot project. What place is there for the Telecare concept within present-day care for the elderly? What does the care it can offer consist of? How should the target group be defined during the testing phase and Telecare’s offer selectively assigned? Finally, there is the question regarding the effectiveness of this care programme, i.e. what its contribution will be to a better quality of life for those requiring assistance and for their volunteer carers, and what it will cost to provide this.

Scientific support for the testing ground will be guaranteed by the Higher Institute of Labour Studies. More specifically, a study will investigate the impact of these technological aids on internal organisation and employment within healthcare. Topics for further investigation will be:
- a study of Telecare costs and cost-effectiveness;
- feasibility study of Telecare roll-out in Flanders/ Belgium;
- economic accountability of the new funding mechanisms;
- decision-making parameters and conclusions for the planning of large-scale implementation.

Ultimately, the aim is to produce a safe and reliable decision-making model that will make it possible to assess the suitability of these new technologies more accurately within today’s accepted healthcare nomenclature.

The chief objective in phase two will be to consolidate this innovative service concept and expand the technology further within front-line and second-line healthcare. The emphasis here will be on fine-tuning the choices already made in accordance with their transferability value. Particular attention will also be paid to make business plans available, for the purpose of presenting a new nomenclature to RIZIV-INAMI.

- Contact person (project's coordinator):

TELESENIOR vzw / OCMW KORTRIJK
Paul Devoldere
Stadhuis Kortrijk
Grote Markt 54
8500 KORTRIJK
Tel : 0475 438 929
Fax : 013 75 29 78
paul.devoldere@telesenior.be

PARTNERSHIP

Coordinator TELESENIOR vzw / OCMW KORTRIJK

Partner 1 Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL) Hoger Instituut voor de Arbeid (HIVA)

Partner 2 Hogeschool West Vlaanderen Departement Provinciale Industriële Hogeschool Kortrijk Cel voor Innovatie Stimulering

Partner 3 Landsbond der Christelijke Mutualiteiten / Solival vzw

Partner 4 M-TEC SERVICE nv