Tel-e-dent: assisted tele-expertise to provide dental care to nursing home residents in rural areas
About this good practice
Assisted tele-expertise with the Hospital of Guéret to provide access to dental care to nursing home residents in rural areas.
Resources needed
FINANCIAL
>Regional Health Agency, Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region and the Hospital of Guéret
>The State is financing a flat rate of €44 per procedure
>Hospital: staff costs
HUMAN
>Dental surgeons
>Nurses
>Coordinating doctor
>Secretarial staff
MATERIAL
>A PC
>Endoscopic surgery camera
>Software
Evidence of success
>Improving COORDINATION between healthcare professionals
>Improving the CARE PATHWAY
>Increased HEALTHCARE PROVISION (delegation of tasks, increase in dental surgeon activity, time savings for practitioners, improves territorial coverage)
>Improving the PATIENT APPROACH (trusting relationship, patients with specific needs)
>Economic gains (avoids costly travel)
>Presence in 15 of the 31 nursing homes of the department by 2023 (around 1,250 residents)
>An average of 300 EXAMINATIONS per year
Potential for learning or transfer
Tel-e-dent is a project that could be transferred to other regions thanks to several success factors:
>Validation of the process by ACADEMIC CLINICAL RESEARCH ensures professionalisation, legitimises the practice, and offers legal and insurance protection.
>The use of an APPROVED DIGITAL TOOL that ensures data confidentiality and cybersecurity is a key success factor. The use of secure remote transmission systems (PACS, DICOM format) guarantees the protection of the medical information exchanged.
>A TRUST-BASED approach and the ability to adapt to specific patient needs
>Optimising patient care by reducing the need for patients to travel, increasing the range of care offered by delegating tasks, and saving time for practitioners are all significant advantages.
>Adaptation to ALL REGIONS with a shortage of dental surgeons and training for nurses
>Practice transferable to other VULNERABLE groups (disabled people, etc.)