Customer case: HCB Hospitales improves international care

In a world where healthcare is becoming increasingly international, it is essential for hospitals to find innovative solutions that can serve patients worldwide. HCB Hospitales, a leading international private hospital in Spain, has recently partnered with Webcamconsult. This collaboration promises to not only improve digital communication, but also patient care. We spoke to a representative of HCB Hospitales to find out more about this development and its impact on their services.

Interview with Arthur Lievaart of HCB Hospitales:

Thank you for your time. Could you tell us about the collaboration with Webcamconsult?

Surely. The aim of our collaboration with Webcamconsult is to attract international patients by offering digital intake and follow-up with real-time translation. This will allow us to serve a wider range of patients regardless of their language or location.

We see on your website that several languages are available. Is this related to medical tourism?

Yes, absolutely. HCB Hospitales is located in the Marina Alta & Marina Baja region, where many foreigners live or spend the winter. This area attracts a significant amount of tourism every year, partly due to its pleasant microclimate. Our hospital operates similarly to a Dutch hospital and has contracts with many Dutch insurance companies, allowing us to receive patients who travel from the Netherlands and other countries specifically for surgery and rehabilitation - a form of medical tourism.

Webcamconsult provides real-time translations. How useful is this feature for a hospital like HCB?

Real-time translation is incredibly useful for us as we receive patients from all over the world. While we also use translators during face-to-face consultations, real-time translation during webcam consultations is much more convenient and efficient for both patients and our healthcare providers.

How have you integrated Webcamconsult with your current IT system and Electronic Health Record (EHR)?

We have created a link to our EHR system so that information can be seamlessly shared and managed during webcam consultations.

Will Webcamconsult be used at all HCB sites?

Yes, we aim to implement Webcamconsult in all of our outpatient clinics in various locations. Doctors will also be able to conduct consultations remotely from their laptops.

How will doctors use Webcamconsult?

The use of Webcamconsult will primarily depend on the speciality. Initially, webcam consultations will be used for admission and post-operative follow-up, especially when patients return to their home country.

HCB is the first hospital in Spain to use Webcamconsult. Does this mean that you are an innovator in healthcare in Spain?

In fact, HCB Hospitales is the first hospital in Spain to implement this technology. While Webcamconsult is already used by several hospitals in the Netherlands, we are proud to be pioneers here in Spain.

HCB is a private hospital. Is there a difference in the use of e-health compared to public hospitals?

Of course there is. At HCB, waiting times are much shorter than in public hospitals. We can schedule surgeries much faster and use the latest techniques and technologies to provide efficient and effective care.

Webcamconsult offers more than just online consultations. Do you have any plans to use more of their tools in the future, such as chat, payment or walk-in consultations?

Yes, we will definitely be using payment options via payment links for online consultations. In addition, we have integrated with Webcamconsult's new digital healthcare platform (editor's note: more on this coming soon) to further improve our services.

High quality, accessible care

The partnership between HCB Hospitales and Webcamconsult marks an exciting step forward in the world of e-health. With innovative solutions such as real-time translation and seamless IT integration, HCB Hospitales is demonstrating how technology can help improve patient care on an international scale. The hospital remains committed to providing high quality, accessible care and with its forward-thinking approach, HCB Hospitales continues to be a leading example in the healthcare sector.