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Amsterdam UMC and Spark Narrowcasting

Amsterdam UMC is looking for ways to use narrowcasting innovatively, as a complementary means of communication between Amsterdam UMC and patients. Amsterdam UMC sees the increasing importance of communication through screens to patients, but also to non-screen employees (the 'hands at the bedside') who are difficult to reach through the 'more traditional' means such as email and intranet.

Amsterdam UMC's objective in the field of narrowcasting remains patient information and infotainment, with priority given to the automated communication of current call information, of waiting and processing times for appointments and consultations, with the underlying goal of increasing patient satisfaction. By offering the right information at the right place and time, Amsterdam UMC increases service, hospitality and customer friendliness.

They were looking for a supplier who can offer an all-in-one solution and found it with Spark Narrowcasting. Because we have an Audiovisual team in addition to the in-house developed digital signage solution, supplying, installing and managing the screens is also part of the service.

Amsterdam UMC in brief
In June 2018, the two academic hospitals AMC and VUmc merged; Amsterdam UMC. With over 16,000 people, the two locations of Amsterdam UMC work together to provide good and accessible care.

The project
In addition to general information, narrowcasting at Amsterdam UMC is used for information about the outpatient clinic, such as waiting times, attending physicians, and department-specific announcements. In addition, entertainment (the so-called wait alleviation) and providing current affairs using videos and news items is an important function of the narrowcasting. In 2019, Spark Narrowcasting was the first party to realize the link with Epic at Amsterdam UMC. It is now possible to receive information for narrowcasting with an active push functionality from Epic.

What is Epic?
Epic is the supplier of an Electronic Patient Record (EPD). An EHR is a software application where medical patient data is stored and made available digitally in the hospital to support the care process around a patient.

Together with Amsterdam UMC, we now show an overview of consultation hours including walk-out times on the screens directly from EPIC. So we get patient calls directly from Epic and these are shown on the screen, including the room where they are expected. We have a live export with doctors' schedules. The information we retrieve directly is displayed on the screen within 1.4 seconds. So patients are instantly well informed in real time without taking time away from the medical experts.

Often we see a one-to-one scenario, by that we mean, a separate call system and a separate narrowcasting system to inform. With this link, this is no longer necessary. All information comes from one source and is displayed on one screen, this increases the value of content for readers and hospitals. Relevant information when it matters directly. At this hospital, this leads to fewer questions at the front desk which saves time for both parties, medical staff and patients.

In addition to displaying information from Epic, a link with Qmatic is also used. From Qmatic's customer guidance system, calls are displayed on narrowcasting.

Slide layouts and application design
The slide layouts in the application are completely designed in the house style of Amsterdam UMC. The structure and layout of the application has been coordinated with the communication department, so that it is easy and quick to see which location and outpatient clinic is involved. As an extra addition to the layouts, the hospital chose to have a slide layout made in house style where the Facebook information is shown. In a large hospital where narrowcasting has been used for a long time, it is very important that existing screens can still be used. At Spark Narrowcasting this is the case, existing hardware is reused wherever possible. The application is designed so that it is clear which resolution the screens have. To connect to older hardware slide layouts have been made suitable for the various resolutions.

Findings Amsterdam UMC

LinkedIn, Spark experienced an inspiring day with the communications department of Amsterdam UMC.

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