Internet and remote healthcare – I2Care symposium on 4 December

The new wireless broadband network in the city of Groningen means that the possibility of providing patients with good healthcare at home has come much closer. The I2Care expertise centre of the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) combines scientific knowledge about IT and healthcare and is organizing a symposium on the subject on 4 December. In addition to presentations and demonstrations about healthcare applications within Wireless Groningen and a lecture about Healthy Ageing, a prize will be awarded to the students who come up with the best solution for a municipal care portal.

Healthy Ageing has become one of the most important priorities of the University of Groningen. The Faculty of Economics and Business is helping to flesh out this concept, among other things with the I2Care expertise centre which is working on IT care applications together with businesses. The meeting on 4 December is intended for companies and organizations, students and researchers and other interested parties.

Remote care via the television is an example of an efficient solution that is currently being applied: with the help of a camera, a patient can call on a telecare helpdesk 24 hours a day. Researchers from I2Care will show how they are able to create a similar facility via a wireless connection.

Oldambt Care Portal

Students of the IT Management and Consultancy course at FEB have drawn up reports about a possible care portal in the future municipality of Oldambt (East Groningen). Such an internet portal would enable vulnerable elderly to have a video link to the municipality, care providers, family and friends, as well as local facilities. A facility would be very important in a place like East Groningen, which has an increasingly ageing population and which has twice as many elderly and long distances. The compilers of the best report will be awarded a prize on 4 December by the alderman of the municipality of Winschoten.

Wireless Groningen

Recently, the municipality of Groningen, Hanze University Groningen and the University of Groningen decided to roll out a wireless broadband network across the entire city. The symposium is the ideal place to make major advances in the provision of remote care in this area. Experts from I2Care and the business world will drop some hints about the possibilities.

I2Care Symposium - Programme

Date and time: Friday 4 December, 3.30 – 6 p.m.

Location: Zernike complex, Plaza WSN Building (Building H), Nettelbosje 2, Groningen

Participation: free (on a first come, first served basis)

• 3.30 – 4 p.m. Reception, demonstration
• 4 – 5 p.m.
  -Welcome
  -Keynote speech by the ex-Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Henk G. Sol, Healthy Ageing: Decisions that matter
  - Prize-giving ceremony for the best report, Dineke van den Bergh, Care Alderman Winschoten
  - Presentation of plans for care applications within Wireless Groningen, John van Meurs
• 5 – 6 p.m. Demonstration

For further information and registration

John van Meurs, Project Manager I2Care, +31 653 267 111, j.b.van.meurs rug.nl