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TelluCare
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TelluCare is a comprehensive platform that brings together all welfare technology in one common ecosystem.
Key products in the solution
TelluVisit
Advanced technology for user-friendly digital meetings and services.
TelluVision
World-leading solutions for digital supervision and security for home residents.
TelluResponse
A fully integrated system for alarm and response centres, seamlessly integrated with mobile solutions.
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Digital monitoring helps limit the spread of infection

At Økernhjemmet, digital monitoring has helped improve safety for both staff and residents at night while maintaining the quality of care, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Okern Home
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- Digital oversight helps healthcare professionals focus their time more effectively on those with genuine needs.

Turid Mood, Director of Økernhjemmet

Digital monitoring using security cameras is currently in use in many municipalities in Norway, including at Økernhjemmet in Oslo. Økernhjemmet is a municipal long-term care facility with 56 beds for people with dementia, and cases of COVID-19 were detected there early on. A large number of staff members were quickly sidelined due to quarantine restrictions, and cohort wards (isolation wards) were established at the facility to prevent further spread to the other residents.

tellu-quoteDigital oversight helps healthcare professionals focus their time more effectively on those with genuine needs.

Turid MoodDirector of Økernhjemmet

Turid Mood, the nursing home’s director, is clear that the implementation of Digital Supervision has been a major benefit for both residents and staff.

“Since we had already implemented the solution, it was simply a matter of making full use of it once the outbreak became a reality. Digital Monitoring was one of many measures that helped us quickly get the situation under control.” This is because we reduce the risk of the virus spreading by minimizing contact points between staff and residents at night,” she explains.

Digital monitoring consists of an HD camera installed in the patient’s room that enables video streaming and alerts to healthcare staff via the internet. In addition to nursing homes, the service can be used by service recipients living at home, in various types of municipal housing, and in hospitals. Caroline Cappelen, product manager for Digital Monitoring, says that experience so far shows a number of benefits related to infection control.

In collaboration with SINTEF, Tellu has carried out a research project aimed at documenting new approaches to providing health care through the use of assistive technology. Disturbances and incidents of violence at night were a challenge at Økernhjemmet. The introduction of digital monitoring proved to save resources and led to increased safety and well-being. The solution also proved beneficial when the coronavirus outbreak reached the facility.

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Many municipalities conduct regularly scheduled nighttime visits, often sending two healthcare workers together. With an increased risk of infection, such in-person visits will contribute to a higher risk of transmission.

“By using camera and sensor technology, healthcare workers can conduct visual monitoring without physically visiting the patient,” explains Cappelen.

Certain patient groups require continuous monitoring, where healthcare staff remain on duty in the same room. Using passive alert technology built into the camera, healthcare staff can also receive alerts related to specific events that indicate the service recipient needs assistance.

“By reducing the time healthcare staff and patients spend together unnecessarily, the risk of infection will also be limited. At the same time, healthcare staff can effectively monitor a large number of service recipients simultaneously,” she adds.

The experience at Økernhjemmet suggests that digital supervision helps ensure greater safety for both staff and residents while maintaining the quality of care, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Staff outside cohort units can assist colleagues and residents in the isolation unit via the web application without having to put on full personal protective equipment. Safety cameras can also help detect changes in behavior that may indicate a decline in overall health.

For example, a patient who kicks off their blanket and lies restlessly may turn out to have a fever and elevated CRP levels, indicating an emerging infection. Digital monitoring can thus ensure that sick residents receive help more quickly.

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Mette Røhne, a researcher at SINTEF Digital, has closely followed the trial of digital monitoring at Økernhjemmet

– Since Økernhjemmet introduced digital supervision in January 2020, they have experienced major changes. With a calmer environment, fewer incidents, and reduced risks and use of emergency medication, they were able to eliminate one night shift. The result was simply better for the residents and a more satisfying work environment, summarizes Mette Røhne, a researcher at SINTEF Digital, who has closely followed the trial of digital monitoring and been responsible forthe evaluation.

For Økernhjemmet, improved quality of the healthcare provided has been a key benefit of the new technology.

“Digital monitoring helps healthcare staff focus their time more effectively on those with genuine needs. This improves quality because some residents can sleep in peace, while others receive the help and supervision they need,” concludes Mood.