ZuidOostZorg

ZuidOostZorg is experimenting with smart glasses

SmartGlass offers options for supporting healthcare

Last week, ZuidOostZorg presented the results of the first tests with the Gemvision SmartGlass. The SmartGlass is smart glasses that allow healthcare professionals to use remote knowledge in real-time. For example, a specialized wound nurse can monitor home care for a complex wound. This can improve the quality of care.

Commissioned by ZuidOostZorg, the SmartGlass was tested by students Lotte Grovenstein and Tsgab Habtemariam of the Friesland College (Human Technology) in different situations and at different locations. They presented the results of the tests to a broad representation of ZuidOostZorg. Those present (psychologists, (wound) nurses, technical service staff, trainers) were strikingly enthusiastic, according to Roelfien Erasmus. Erasmus is program manager Technology at ZuidOostZorg and in that role responsible for experimenting with new innovations. “The possibilities are endless and the longer you think about it, the more there will be. All sorts of ideas came up right away! ”.

Smart glasses are widely applicable
As an example Erasmus mentions the way in which the SmartGlass can help to share expertise in the chain. “It stimulates collaboration, because you can use each other’s expertise very directly and easily, you can literally watch the other person,” says Erasmus. She therefore sees many opportunities for using the SmartGlass in the collaboration between elderly care, general practitioners and the hospital. “But you could also use such glasses for remote coaching and training of employees, or at the technical service that someone wants to have a look at,” she says, to emphasize that there are many more possibilities. GemVision, the company that supplies the SmartGlass, gave ZuidOostZorg the opportunity to examine the glasses in all facets. “That’s great,” says Erasmus, “that you can look for the possibilities together in such a collaboration.”

Technology can support care
Director Simone Meertens of ZuidOostZorg is also enthusiastic. “We have been convinced for a long time that technology can and will make a difference in healthcare,” she says. “Smart technology can support the care we provide to our customers, it is important to experiment with it properly.” As a care and knowledge organization, ZuidOostZorg believes it is important to properly test new innovations before deciding to put them into practice. “Technology must be proven to support and contribute to better care, only then will we continue with it,” says Meertens: “In our opinion, working smarter is one of the answers to the major challenges in healthcare. That is also the reason why we participate in the project Working Differently in Care Friesland. In this collaboration of care organizations we work on technological applications for long-term care. ” The next step for ZuidOostZorg is to see whether the glasses can actually be applied to the ideas that emerged during the presentation.

Note to the editor: would you like to know more about the SmartGlass or how ZuidOostZorg works with technology? Please contact Roelfien Erasmus, Technology program manager, via r.erasmus@zuidoostzorg.nl or by telephone on 06-13455517.