Utrecht is getting a GP practice that puts the focus largely on online contact. It's all about DocLine Utrecht, the new name borne by Arts en Zorg's Galgenwaard Health Centre from 1 September.
The practice will now allow patients to arrange many care tasks themselves online. These include scheduling a video or telephone consultation with the GP, without speaking to the doctor's assistant to do so.
Care at a distance
DocLine Utrecht GPs will also be supported by a team of GPs and assistants from Arnhem's Medical Contact Centre. They can take over care remotely. As a result, patients can also contact a GP digitally at weekends and in the evenings.
By digitising, Arts and Care aims to make GP care easier and faster, without losing the personal touch. During the corona outbreak, the organisation was already able to experiment with this digital form of working. So now Arts and Care is embracing it in its Utrecht practice DocLine Utrecht. The motto here is: 'Visit if you have to, digital care if you can'.
'Half of consultations can be fine remotely'
Nicole van der Meulen-Diebels, final manager of DocLine: "An increasing group of patients want contact with their GP at a time that is convenient for them, without having to come to the practice. Physical primary care will not disappear, but more than half of the consultations can be done perfectly well at a distance. We have also experienced this in corona time. That is why at DocLine we opt for digital in the first instance and physical only when really necessary."
With DocLine, Arts and Care aims, among other things, to give patients more influence on how and when they contact their GP. For example, patients can ask questions at any time in the digital environment, request medication, view their medical records, view lab results or schedule an appointment. The initial consultation then takes place digitally. If necessary, this is followed by a physical consultation at the practice.
'Keeping primary care accessible'
Arts and Care points out that primary care in the Netherlands is under severe pressure. For instance, there are too few successors for GPs who retire in shrinkage areas in particular. In large cities, there are also shortages of doctors' assistants and nurses. At the same time, the demand for care is increasing. "If we still want to have the same good-quality GP care in the Netherlands in five years' time, we need to start using digital possibilities now. Within the DocLine concept, we are able to better cope with the increasing demand for primary care, thus contributing to keeping good primary care accessible in the longer term," Van der Meulen-Diebels said.
In time, more DocLine practices should open in the Netherlands. Arts en Zorg also wants to continue expanding its services. Among other things, with artificial intelligence, which can help patients discover information about complaints themselves. It is also working on integrating a 'digital doctor's bag'. This will enable GPs to listen in remotely and, for instance, look at the heart, lungs, throat, skin, ears or eyes. This should enable a full GP consultation or remote visit.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
