title: The digital eczema centre utrecht.
abstract: The University Medical Centre Utrecht (UMC Utrecht) has developed an eczema portal that combines e-consulting, monitoring and self-management training by a dermatology nurse online for patients and parents of young children with atopic dermatitis (AD). Patient satisfaction with the portal was high. It could be extended to become a Digital Eczema Centre for multidisciplinary collaboration between health-care providers from different locations and the patient. Before starting the construction of the Digital Eczema Centre, the feasibility was examined by carrying out a business case analysis. The purposes, strength and weaknesses showed that the Digital Eczema Centre offered opportunities to improve care for patients with AD. The financial analysis resulted in a medium/best case scenario with a positive result of euro50-240,000 over a period of five years. We expect that the Digital Eczema Centre will increase the accessibility and quality of care. The web-based patient record and the digital chain-of-care promote the involvement of patients, parents and multidisciplinary teams as well as the continuity and coordination of care.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology/Allergology Department, UMC Utrecht, The Netherlands. h.vanosmedendorp@umcutrecht.nl
authors.forename: Harmieke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van Os-Medendorp
authors.forename: Carien
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van Veelen
authors.forename: Maaike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hover
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eland-de Kok
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bruijnzeel-Koomen
authors.forename: Gert-Jan
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Sonnevelt
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mensing
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pasmans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000191:economics; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D003880:Dermatology / Q000191:economics*; D004485:Eczema; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D006782:Hospitals, Special / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012984:Software / Q000191:economics