“Good to age” in Árborg

On the eve of the meeting, an agreement was signed between the Healthcare Institution of South Iceland (HSU) and Árborg on integrated home care, which is based on the development project “Good ageing” which is part of the government’s action plan. The agreement was confirmed in Árborg. The Minister of Social Affairs and Housing and the Mayor of Árborg were present, as were a number of guests.

As part of the integration of home care in Árborg, a special reception and evaluation team is established, where representatives of HSU and representatives of the social support services in Árborg review joint applications weekly. Work is also underway to establish a single service portal for all requests. With this collaboration, we ensure that the service is provided on time, by the right parties and with a comprehensive vision of individual needs. This is an important step toward continuous and individualized services where health and social services work together for the benefit of the user.

Telemonitoring with telehealth technology

Telemonitoring of HSU with telehealth technology has the same commonality with Heimaspítali HSU that it is in many ways supporting the same patient group, primarily older people. Telemonitoring strengthens the monitoring of patients with chronic diseases and contributes to improvement, innovation and increased quality in healthcare.

The monitoring is done by the patient performing measurements in their home, which are then monitored on a monitor in the healthcare center. These are continuous and constant measurements that are more reliable than occasional single measurements made at the clinic. The benefits are varied and the clients both enjoy and feel more secure, knowing that they are closely monitored. The service is therefore both more cost-effective and efficient than other solutions and has proven to be extremely successful at HSU. This service is particularly useful in our service area where distances can be great.

Technological solutions are crucial

The objective of HSU is to ensure safe, professional and accessible healthcare for all, regardless of residence, economy or origin, and thus to promote better health and quality of life for the people of South Iceland. The area is wide and has rural areas where distances are often great and weather conditions can be challenging. To meet these challenges it is necessary to strengthen health centres in key locations and develop resources such as telehealth services. Technical solutions can be crucial not only to shorten the travel time of patients but also to make better use of the time and expertise of healthcare professionals.

Teleophthalmology for diabetics

In this context, it is worth mentioning that HSU and Sjónlags new and ambitious telemedicine services have just begun in Selfoss, where patients with diabetes are now offered regular eyebottom examinations without having to travel to the capital area. The goal of the service is to increase access to examinations for individuals with diabetes, by offering accurate eyebottom imaging in Selfoss with powerful equipment. The images are then sent electronically to eye doctors at Sjónlag for analysis. This imaging is key in diagnosing possible complications of diabetes, such as bleeding, oedema and protein leakage in the veins of the eye. Diabetes is a vascular disease that can cause damage to small vessels in the eye's base and affects vision if not intervened in a timely manner.

This is another important step in the development of telemedicine in Iceland, but HSU has made an effort in the last years to use the technology to promote services in the hometown. It is worth mentioning that similar telemedicine services are already available at HSU in the Westman Islands.

New CT scanner funded

The good news came in the early hours that the Minister of Health has secured a budget of over ISK 140 million for HSU to purchase a new CT scanner. The new CT scanner is welcome and will be crucial in our service to patients, especially in the diagnosis and treatment of acute cases.

The device replaces the older device and represents an important upgrade and increases patient safety. The development of this device has been rapid in the last few years and the new device will result in, for example, less radiation exposure on patients and at the same time the research rate and thus the capability have increased dramatically. We have hoped that it will be possible to purchase the device and install it in the coming months.

Acute response in Öræfasveit

The Minister of Health has entrusted HSU to organize an emergency response in Öræfasveit for the third summer in a row to increase the safety of residents and tourists in the area. There are great distances in this geographical area between health clinics. The response involves the constant presence of an ambulance with an experienced ambulance service member who performs emergency services in cooperation with the rescue team Kári in Öræfi.

The goal is to ensure a quick response, such as if injuries need to be assessed after an accident, to respond to acute illness, to provide first aid and to prepare for transportation to a hospital if necessary.

Well-behaved medical positions

In this context, it should be mentioned that the summer has been a good time for staffing healthcare in rural areas in South Iceland. In Höfn, two doctors will be working every working day. In Rangárþing, two to three doctors will be employed every working day and in Laugarás, two doctors will be employed all summer. The situation in the Westman Islands is also good, but the healthcare will have three to four doctors during the summer.

It has been one of our key goals at HSU to strengthen the service where the need is most, especially during tourist season when the pressure is high. Good cooperation with rescue teams and other responders to ensure a quick response when the situation arises is important. We are pleased with the success of manning key areas and thus ensuring the safety of locals and visitors.

Gratitude measured

Finally, I would like to thank my colleagues for their invaluable contributions. It is the strong teamwork of the human resources and the ambition for progress and improvement that will enable us to meet the expectations of our clients. It shows our positive service surveys, which are on a constant upward trend according to measurements.

Díana Óskarsdóttir, CEO of HSU