Many clinics see the added value of digital patient support, but wonder how they can put it into practice within an already full schedule. Who manages it? How much time does it take? And how do you ensure a smooth implementation?

That hesitation is understandable. But at Caro we see it differently.

The key to a successful implementation

Most failed digital projects in healthcare do not founder on the technology. They founder on the support. A tool that is introduced without training, without ownership in the team and without clear expectations quickly disappears into a drawer. The team becomes overloaded, patients notice nothing, and the project is quietly put on hold.

At Caro, we see implementation as a shared journey, in which technical delivery is not the only goal. Fleur Kerssemakers, Customer Success Lead at Caro Health:

„During the implementation period, it is our job to get the clinic ready to achieve the best results. It is wonderful to see how healthcare professionals ultimately experience the difference Caro makes, not only for their patients but also for their own work.”

— Fleur Kerssemakers, Customer Success Lead at Caro Health

Step by step towards go-live

Caro's implementation process consists of four steps. The time investment for the clinic is deliberately kept small, so as not to add too much extra burden to the daily workload.

• Kick-off. In a one-hour session, the platform is set up, the project team is invited and the initial treatment information is provided. This is also where the clinic's goals are clarified: what should the app deliver for patients, and what for the team?

  
  

• Implementation. Caro builds the first care pathways in the CMS (Content Management System) on the basis of the clinic's existing brochures and guidelines. A care pathway is the digital translation of everything a patient needs to know and do, from preparation to recovery. After a short training session, the team can get started with the content themselves, with Caro as a permanent sparring partner in the background. Annemiek Commerell, Manager Front & Back Office at Flexclinics Orthopaedics, was pleasantly surprised: she had expected the implementation process to require a lot of time and input, but for each treatment only a few hours were needed.

  
  

• Testing. Together with the clinic, the first treatment is worked through, feedback is processed and the care pathway is refined. Only when everything is correct does the app go live.

  
  

• Go-live and optimisation. After launch, the first experiences are monitored. A month later, there is always an evaluation, in which feedback from patients and staff is translated into concrete improvements.

Flexclinics Orthopaedics went from kick-off to live in six weeks, with four treatments in the app at the same time. Annemiek describes it in retrospect as a smooth implementation process:

„The whole process went very smoothly. It is great that we can make changes independently in the CMS, which means we are not dependent on Caro.”

— Annemiek Commerell, Manager Front & Back Office | Flexclinics Orthopaedics

Just start small

Not every clinic starts with four treatments at once. Esther Hartjes, Manager of Patient Relations at Andros Clinics, recommends simply getting started:

„Just start small and expand gradually. I was unfamiliar with using an app myself, but the Caro team guides you from A to Z and the benefits for patients are enormous.”

— Esther Hartjes, Manager Patient Relations | Andros Clinics

At Andros, it also began with a small first step. By now, 3,000 telephone follow-up checks after vasectomy procedures have been replaced by digital recovery monitoring via the app: patients report their recovery themselves, and the team only receives a notification if something needs attention.

The biggest hurdle is often the first step. And you do not have to take it alone. Caro is happy to help you take it.