Bojan was admitted to the virtual ward when one of her blood values, potassium, ended up at too high a level. She says that her life in recent times has involved many hospital stays and revolutionary health changes. After being hospitalized and visiting several different hospitals, she appreciated being hospital at home, where she felt more free and comfortable. Bojan has several underlying diagnoses namely two heart attacks, diabetes and lung cancer.
Bojan had her first heart attack in April. A month later at an revisit, samples showed that her blood level was abnormal. Then she had to have a gastroscopy and colonoscopy which triggered her second heart attack. After that episode of care, she was prescribed new medication, unfortunatelt, the combination of her medications caused to high potassium level. In September, she visitid emergency deparment again. She arrived at the emergency at 10 am and later got the suggestion to be admitted to the virtual ward. Bojan was in St Göran's Hospital for less than 12 hours and was home in his apartment at 5pm the same day.
At home, Bojan was medicated with Resonium and the nurses took blood samples from her on four different occasions. It was difficult to find her blood vessels and the nurses had to use mobile ultrasound to see where she would be stung.
“There are any number of advantages. It's nice to be able to lie in your bed and walk around the house freely. I am really enthusiastic about virtual inpatient care
Bojan appreciated the virtual ward and being able to lie in her bed, watch hTV and be visited by friends. She received food from the hospital twice a day. Her daughter and family could visit her, but Bojan didn't think it was necessary as she felt cared for and safe in the virtual ward. She had daily video rounds and received daily physical visits from nurses who took blood samples to check her blood status.
"My daughter doubted whether I would be able to take her own values and the technology, but I managed it well".
After her treatment, Bojan have visited the hospital once a week for a chest X-ray. She recently found out that she has lung cancer and her treatment plan is to be investigated.
Bojan's story shows how hospitals can be relieved and at the same time create a comfortable treatment environment for a patient who is tired of repeated hospital visits. The treatment of Bojan's breast cancer will take place at a regular hospital, but she wishes she could have received her treatment at home and visited the hospitals less frequently.
