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Hospital Knowledge Bank: Update and English-language version
26 January 2007
This website will be expanded in 2007 on behalf of Gelderland provincial authorities. In addition, under the auspices of the EU OPTIMUM2 project, an English-language version of the website will be added. Both of these activities will be carried out by VCC Oost. (For more information, please visit www.vccoost.nl). We will be keeping you up-to-date on our progress!
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Zeeland Cyclists' Union: Ensuring post-merger hospital accessibility
26 June 2006
The Zeeland Cyclists' Union has requested that the chairs of the boards at both the Walcheren and Oosterschelde hospitals conduct a so-called 'mobility check' in a timely fashion in light of their imminent merger plans. Such a check is a means to address matters regarding optimal accessibility by bicycle, public transport and car in a timely fashion in the event of job restructuring and the founding of a specialist hospital. Often when expanding and moving hospital facilities, attention is focused far too late on details such as good employee and visitor bicycle rack facilities, bus stops within easy walking distance and conscious use of the car as a means of transport. For many years, the Cyclists' Union has been promoting an integrated approach to mobility and the interests of cyclists.
Two years ago, the Ministry of Waterways and Public Works published a handbook for hospitals and mobility. In this handbook, it was stated that 80% of hospitals in the Netherlands were struggling with parking problems and congestion in the local neighbourhood. According to the Union, continued good access to health facilities for all users must be guaranteed before merger-related relocation and/or consolidation of activities actually take place.
(Source: Zeeland Cyclists' Union) |
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Launch of Unique Hospital Travel Information System
Monday, 28 May sees the official launch of the GetThere system. GetThere is an integrated travel information system for patients, hospital employees and visitors to Colchester General Hospital, England. Using the system, they can determine how they can best reach the hospital by all means of transport available. Essex County Council developed GetThere under the auspices of the EU OPTIMUM2 project. Many British hospitals were involved in its development. It offers amazing improvements to the travel information that hospitals provide. With only a few modifications, the GetThere system can be implemented by other hospitals, including those in the Netherlands.
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En Route to Better Hospital Accessibility
New website for knowledge sharing and dissemination
Since 15 April 2006, this new website, www.bereikbaarziekenhuis.nl, has been providing information that inspires and supports hospitals, local and regional authorities, and other parties in a structured manner in their pursuit of improved accessibility. The website was set up by VCC Oost and is part of Gelderland provincial authorities' hospital accessibility offensive.
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Hospital Accessibility Seminar
24 November 2005
Hospitals attract large volumes of traffic. This is the reason why, on 24 November, Gelderland provincial authorities held a seminar on its hospital accessibility offensive. The aim of the seminar was to exchange knowledge with local authorities, hospitals and suppliers.
Due to increased mobility by car, good accessibility to hospitals is being put under considerable strain. Moreover, the scale and concentration of health care facilities have been increasing for a number of years. In 2005, Gelderland provincial authorities initiated Bereikbaarheidsoffensief Ziekenhuizen [Hospital Accessibilty Offensive] in which knowledge exchange plays a central role.
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During the seminar, various speakers explained the experience, opportunities and options available to hospitals and local authorities for improving hospital accessibility. MP Marijke van Haaren provided the opening presentation.
VCC Oost presented the interim results of its investigative surveys of Gelderland hospitals. 70% of the 14 hospitals appeared to be having parking problems. Opportunities apparently existed in improved organization of their healthcare processes. In addition, VCC Oost presented a demonstration version of its hospital accessibility knowledge bank. This would include hospital mobility data including good examples of accessibility solutions. The knowledge bank is aimed at enabling hospitals and local authorities to exchange information digitally. |
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Gelderland is involved in the EU OPTIMUM2 project (www.optimum2.org). This advocates the inclusion of mobility measures in as early a stage of planning as possible, as, for example, at Gelre Ziekenhuizen in Apeldoorn and the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital in England. Both organizations were attending the seminar ad presented information about this process, the results and the follow-up. Nigel Walsh from the hospital in Exeter spoke about the positive and negative aspects of park and ride.
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Additional presentations included those by Hospitax, Alysis Zorgroep (parking), Regiotax (seated medical transport), Nijmegen local authorities (accessibility covenant), Slingeland Ziekenhuis (logistics) and HAN University (TRANSUMO). The congress was closed by the NVZ Dutch Hospitals Association. The NVZ illustrated developments at hospitals and the correlation these have with accessibility. |
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