Telemedicine allows Bruno, a 10-year-old with cystic fibrosis, to be admitted at home: “The hospital eats you up”

“At home we do this Complex care, oxygen therapy, intravenous treatment, analyzes and even ultrasound. We do everything the same as in the hospital, the only exception is radiological testing, says Antonio Moreno, head of the pediatric service. This initiative answers European Charter of the Rights of the Child admitted to the hospital, which protects those children not admitted to hospital if it is not so “absolutely necessary” And, if they are, they will be discharged “as soon as possible”.

One month has passed

bruno has bacterial infection, He has not gone out of the house for two weeks and still has two more weeks to go out of the house. But every day a team of two pediatricians and a nurse visits his home. In addition, he has taught mom to use a portable syringe pump that is used administer antibiotics three times a day. and they do video calls. “Bruno was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at only two months old. Since then, cultures have been done every two or three months and now They’ve got a bacteria”, Mother Irene tells from the living room of the house.

But now, for the first time, The child has been admitted to his home. “The hospital consumes you at every level. You are becoming weak. “Here he is, with his own place, his own environment and his own food,” says Irene. With medical help, she says, The syringe pump is “not difficult” to operate. “The feeling is that you are Supported me all the time. “I have medical care from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.,” he says. Soon Bruno was taken to a hospital. home teacher, Who will come every day to teach him class.

“Better at home than hospital”

“For house warming Telemedicine is essential,” Assurance Ariadna Carsey, Pediatrician of the Val d’Hebron Pediatric Home Hospitalization Team. “The patients are more comfortable at home And the nucleus of the family is not broken,” he adds. Yet, not just any patient Can be admitted at home. In the case of children, only two types of patients do this: respiration (bronchitis, bronchiolitis, requiring oxygen therapy) and those who are following Antibiotic treatment. “They will always have to stay stable patient”, the nurse adds alba martinez, Who are also part of this team. “Hospitalization at home is our Sitara Humanization Project. a child, unless he absolutely necessary, You don’t need to be hospitalized,” claims Dr. Carsey.

Since November, when the pediatric home hospitalization service was launched, Val d’Hebron has admitted More than 100 children. Among other things, this has allowed many children to Spend the last Christmas at home, Highlights other pediatricians on service, Lia martinez. Additionally, health companies say patients get “better” as they recover. “Greater freedom of movement.” those are the health workers “Empower” families To use the machines in their homes. it’s kind of “health education.” Without machines like the syringe pump that Bruno uses, the child could not be admitted to his home.

“more confidence”

He control constant The number of patients is somewhat fundamental and regular Traditional hospitalization. When you want to execute them during remote patient monitoring, there are Various options. On the one hand, during a daily visit to the patient’s home, health workers can measure these constants.

But families can also measure them themselves and then fill out a record. There is also the possibility Telemonitoring: Some equipment at home, remotely, They send the vital signs of patients to a platform. This is the most innovative formula that Val d’Hebron is planning to incorporate soon.

Healthcare companies also understand closer proximity to children In their homes than in the hospital. “Children hold on There is a lot of trust with us. The nurse concluded, “Putting an IV in at home is not like being in the hospital.”

According to these health workers, the “satisfaction” expressed by families with the service that has been running for only three months shows that the model “Represents the future of pediatric care,” Dr. Moreno says. “Flexibility, convenience and positive outcomes support the idea that hospital care at home is offered This is not just the current need, Except one trend which promises to improve the experience of pediatric patients and their families,” he concluded.