Studio-as-a-Service at St. Antonius Hospital

Many services that patients used to visit the hospital for can now be accessed online. Technological capabilities are advancing rapidly, and St. Antonius Hospital is making full use of them. Well before the Covid period, video conferencing was already being used extensively for consultations between specialists and between patients and their healthcare providers.

Recently, the hospital took a new step in the professional use of video. A professional in-house studio was built at the Utrecht site. This is already common practice in the business world, but not yet in hospitals.

A further step towards professionalism

Wenny Braam, Head of Facilities and Property: “During the Covid period, there was a growing need to offer information sessions for patients and staff online, for example. We therefore equipped a number of existing presentation rooms with camera and recording facilities. After the pandemic, the need to improve the quality of these broadcasts soon became apparent. The technical facilities were also inadequate, such as the camera setup and lighting. This led to the desire to have our own studio. We then first broadcast from an external studio provided by AVEX. That was very well received.”

“Together with our Marketing and Communications team, we began to explore the options further. Our aim was to take our communications to the next level and produce more professional recordings and broadcasts. The right setting and atmosphere ensure that the information comes across much more effectively.”

“We chose this in-house studio solution because of the professionalism, that extra touch.” Wenny Braam Head of Facilities and Property at St Antonius Hospital

Flexible and multifunctional

The requirements were further developed in collaboration with AVEX. Wenny Braam: “We wanted a space that could be used in a highly flexible manner. In our studio, we can now easily switch from a formal talk show setting to a desk setting for, say, instructional videos for patients. And we can create an informal living-room setting just as quickly.”

The applications are very diverse. As well as information sessions, instructional videos and educational videos about medical conditions or treatments are also recorded. The studio is also used by specialists giving lectures during symposia abroad. They take their seats in the studio, where all the technical arrangements are taken care of, allowing them to focus entirely on delivering their message.

“We’re also seeing uses that we hadn’t thought of beforehand. Such as the specialist who records their redundancy interview once and makes it available via a QR code.” Thijs Koenraadt Systems Administrator at St Antonius Hospital

Thijs Koenraadt, Functional Manager at St. Antonius Hospital: “We enjoy thinking creatively alongside our studio users to produce high-quality broadcasts. What atmosphere and what content do you want to share? We’re also seeing applications we hadn’t thought of beforehand. For example, we produced a video of a discharge consultation with a doctor in an informal setting, sitting on a bed. Via a QR code, this video is available to the patient at any time of the day. This often means the patient can go home a few hours earlier, equipped with the correct information. There is an increasing demand for new applications. It will also soon be possible to produce podcasts from the studio.”

As-a-Service concept

During discussions with AVEX, it quickly became clear that the desired flexibility in terms of technology and support could be achieved through the Studio-as-a-Service concept. Technical developments are particularly rapid in the studio sector, and needs are constantly changing. Within the as-a-service model, it is possible to make adjustments to the system without having to divest. This provides flexibility, whilst also offering benefits in terms of continuity. AVEX provides a flexible pool of technicians who can be deployed immediately in our studio whenever necessary. This ensures continuity in terms of both the technical equipment and the staff. A professional studio such as this must be available for use at any time of the day.

Thijs Koenraadt: “The studio users’ experience has been very positive. In principle, in simple mode, a studio user can start recording one or two people themselves at the touch of a button. But we soon moved beyond simply making basic recordings. We’ve chosen to guide the users. We always conduct an initial consultation to ensure that all requirements and possibilities are thoroughly discussed. For example, how we can create interaction with the audience and allow participants to ask questions. This can also be done anonymously, as this is sometimes more accessible and comfortable for patients.”

“Depending on the complexity of the recordings, we carry them out either with our own team or in collaboration with AVEX. More complex programmes are handled by the AVEX team.” Thijs Koenraadt Systems Administrator at St Antonius Hospital

The added value of the studio within the hospital is already surprisingly significant. Wenny and Thijs are proud of what the studio has already achieved six months after it opened. It provides excellent additional support for communication with our own staff, our healthcare partners and our patients.