CASE STUDY

Modernizing patient engagement

Emma Children’s Hospital

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

Providing the technology patients prefer

With 153 years of experience serving Amsterdam’s youngest population, Emma Children’s Hospital, a part of
the Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), continues to strive for medical excellence. Fifteen years ago,
a strong focus on their philosophy that every child deserves the best possible care, no matter their illness,
started Emma Children’s down a path of transformations. Though the project began with extensive building
renovations, it led to an initiative that focuses on a modern way to enhance the overall hospital experience. It
meets patients where they’re most comfortable - with Apple technology.

BRINGING APPLE TO THE BEDSIDE

“The patient has to be able to access the functionality,” Prior to this switch, Wetzels said a wall-mounted
said Marijntje Wetzels, MSc, business director, Emma monitor served as the room’s primary form of
Children’s Hospital. To test their theory, Wetzels entertainment. Limiting in both its functionality
said they included an iPad at each bedside in the and form, the devices were quickly outdated and
teenagers ward, with plans for future expansion across required newer models almost every year. Wetzels
other areas of the hospital. hopes to save both time and money with their
iPad replacements. But even more important, she
explained, is the ability to customize the devices for
their diverse patient populations.

AT A GLANCE

Emma Children’s has CareServant uses Jamf Using Jamf, CarServant iPads provide a variety of Care teams receive fewer Emma Children’s looks
served Amsterdam’s Pro to manage iPads in the maps devices to specific customized entertainment calls and have more time forward to expanding their
youngest patients for 153 teenagers ward. rooms and patients. options for patients. for front-line care. iPad offering soon.
years.
 “Here at Emma Children’s, there’s been a lot of
research on the different type of patients, different
type of children and what is important for them.
What you find is that children in a younger age have
different information needs, as well as a different way
of grasping information,” Wetzels said. “So when we
started to do this, it was in an early stage that people
suggested personalizing the environment and having
a plug-and-play solution.”

CUSTOMIZING CONTENT FOR PATIENTS

Creating a truly unique experience on the iPad for

each group of patients is easier said than done.
That’s why Emma Children’s enlisted the help of
patient engagement experts and Jamf Certified
Managed Service Provider (MSP), CareServant.
“It’s really helpful when you have partners who
Photo by Mike Bink know what they are doing and know not only about
technology, but also other aspects of what we’re
trying to accomplish,” Wetzels said. “And I feel that
CareServant listens carefully.”
“We have been in this
business for a long time. In the teenagers ward, each patient has access to
an iPad that’s loaded with pre-populated content - all
While it’s easy to create specifically selected for their age group and illness.
an App, it’s a challenge Starting with a home screen that mirrors the hospital’s
branding, the patient can find an assortment of 20-
controlling all of the 30 entertainment apps, including Facebook and
devices and keeping them YouTube, that will help them feel more comfortable
during their stay.
operational without getting
staff involved. The added “We really integrated our system. It directly tells Jamf
Pro, ‘This iPad needs to be configured to this person
value of Jamf is taking part of
with these apps.’ It will then automatically move along
the whole deployment to the with our system seamlessly together,” said Jurjen
whole management of the Eisink, technical director, CareServant. “It was pretty
straight forward to integrate. Jamf has a good API and
devices — keeping them good documentation. From there, it’s just finding the
working. It’s really doing a correct methods and workflow. Then it just works.”

good job.”
Jurjen Eisink, technical director, CareServant
 not bored, they’re not trying to get in contact with the
team.” This extra time means Kramer’s staff can focus
on what matters most - helping the patient heal.

TREATING THE WHOLE PERSON

While entertainment is a large focus of the

implementation at Emma Children’s, Wetzels said the
iPad devices provide more than first meets the eye.
She explained that while doctors want to treat their
patients’ illnesses, they also look for more impactful MANAGING A SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION
ways to treat the whole person.
Frey said such feedback is what continues to propel
Technology that facilitates communication between his goal to provide a solution that helps patients have
patients, their families and their care teams is a a better hospital experience without added work for
powerful healing tool. Powered by Jamf, CareServant’s care teams. “This is something we do together with
solution on an iPad enables this type of information Jamf,” he said. “Jamf Pro and CareServant make sure
exchange. “We have functionalities in our application this is all happening with minimal involvement from
that create a relationship and communication between the staff. That is one of our key strengths together.”
the patient and staff,” said George Frey, commercial
director, CareServant. “That makes the staff more Wetzels and Kramer said they look forward to
receptive to what the patient needs.” adding more functionalities and use cases to
the iPad devices over time. And, together with
Wetzels agreed, saying having apps where, for Jamf, CareServant will continue to provide the
example, nurses can take notes and a patient’s family customization needed to provide every patient with
can access them at home, provides peace of mind for a better hospital experience. “It is very gratifying to
families while generating consistent communication see, especially in the environment of children, how
between the patient and their care teams. Roland technology really transforms their experience. And
Kramer, head nurse of the teenagers ward, agreed. He we are seeing from the feedback that children feel
said the devices provide powerful health benefits for strongly about having an iPad at the bedside with
patients. relevant content and relevant applications,” Frey said.
“This is the kind of success that we try to exceed
“When you’re bored in the hospital, it takes a long time when working with hospitals like Emma.”
for the time to pass,” he said. “When you’re having
fun and are distracted from illness and your pain, you
recover faster.” Kramer said the iPad devices also
provide unexpected time-saving benefits. “They make
my job easier,” he said. “Because when the patient is

www.jamf.com To learn more about how Jamf Pro can make an impact
December 4, 2018 2:00 PM Published 12/2018. in your healthcare setting, visit Jamf.com/healthcare.