Originally appeared in the Spring-Summer 2021 edition of Le Point en Santé in partnership with Tous Ensemble.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit last year, health care management consultant Myriam Denault-Bois had been pondering a career change. But in late March, as coronavirus infections surged, she read an article that inspired a newfound purpose while her work was on hold.

In the article, an ICU physician recounted the medical version of solitary confinement, an experience that COVID-19 patients face as hospitals banned visitors. The doctor’s words had a profound impact on Denault-Bois, who set out to help sick patients in Quebec connect with their families. Through an initial partnership with a telecommunication company and then with Samsung Canada, she, a physician and a team of medical students, implemented a tablet initiative at dozens of hospitals, retirement centres and long-term care homes across the province. Here, Denault-Bois explains how the undertaking known as “Tous Ensemble” came to fruition.

When the pandemic began, what technology challenges did hospitals face?

Sometimes, simply not having enough tools to connect patients with their families. Even when hospitals did have tablets, they often just sat on a desk. Health-care workers didn’t have the time, manpower or knowledge to implement a program.

How did you get the program off the ground?

I asked for tablet and smartphone donations from family and friends on social media. Pretty quickly I had 20 devices. Together with Dr. Tamara Mijovic of McGill University Health Centre and Antoine Denis, a McGillmedical school student, we set up the devices with communication apps. We also created a digital instruction manual for the tablet and installed an app to allow for remote control. After a couple days, we supplied this first batch of donated devices to a hospital in Montreal.

The project picked up steam under the leadership of an ICU social worker. We managed to secure an initial partnership with a telecom company to expand across the province. After two months, we were in more than a dozen hospitals and about 100 long-term care homes and residences.

But we were in need of more and better tablets. Plus, we couldn’t keep volunteering for endless hours. When a few organizations reached out to offer funding, we looked for a new tech partner. That’s when we found Samsung.

How did Samsung enhance the program?

The Galaxy Tab A 8.4”, 8.0” and 10.1” tablets are easier to use than our previous devices, come with more recent operating systems and more powerful processing speeds. They have long-lasting batteries and work well on hospital WiFi and with mobility packages. Not only that, but Samsung worked with us to get the tools we needed at an affordable price point. Since July 2020, we have secured hundreds of tablets quickly at a great discount. It has given us the power to expand the program as the pandemic evolves. Samsung is our best industry partner, making incredible efforts to always support us as best as they can.

What are the most memorable moments of connection with Tous Ensemble?

One woman in an intensive care unit was proposed to not once, but twice. She said “yes” the first time in the ICU, but after recovering somewhat and deteriorating again, she sadly forgot about the proposal. Hospital staff encouraged the man to propose again using one of the Tous Ensemble tablets and she said yes. We hear many stories and some of them stand out like this one, but most of them we will never hear about. We do know that thousands of video calls were made on the tablets, bringing so many Quebec families together through these difficult times. Some happy, and some deeply sad. We cannot, however, begin to understand how much each one of those calls meant to patients and their loved ones, and that is what has been keeping us working long hours for the past year.

What do you want people to learn from Tous Ensemble?

The pandemic has really shone a light on societal inequalities and the importance of technology. I hope more people, including corporations and governments, take inspiration from initiatives such as Tous Ensemble and from the generosity of Samsung, to make lasting change not only in health care, but all spheres of society.

Whether they serve their patients at a busy hospital, long-term care facility or through virtual care environments, our healthcare professionals need reliable, more secure mobile solutions that are built to last. Samsung is working closely with healthcare partners to provide technology that is essential to administering virtual care. Partners such as AlayaCare created a robust Virtual Care Suite which includes a health screening tool, secure video conferencing capabilities, and an online Family Portal, while MPoynt^[1] is providing expedited onboarding, device provisioning and logistics support for essential businesses.

As part of the Healthcare Appreciation Program, from now until June 30, 2020 healthcare professionals can receive up to 15 per cent off the following Samsung devices via participating distributor and retail channel: the Galaxy Tab Active Pro, Galaxy Tab Active2, Galaxy Tab A and Galaxy A20. Please ask your distributor or retailer for more details.

“Now more than ever we need to support and empower care providers by delivering transformative technology” said Neil Grunberg, VP Strategy & Corporate Development, AlayaCare. “We’re grateful to have partners like Samsung who support AlayaCare’s vision for the future, where home and community care is connected and part of a continuum, delivered through traditional and emerging modes of care.”

Cleanliness and Durability above All Else

Unlike most mobile devices, the Galaxy Tab Active Pro, Galaxy Tab Active2 and Galaxy XCover Pro are tested against typical disinfectant solutions², so frontline workers can effectively clean and disinfect their devices anytime. Rugged solutions like the Galaxy Tab Active Pro and Galaxy Tab Active2 keep up with demands of healthcare professionals always on the go. These devices can also withstand drops and messes thanks to military-grade durability and water resistance³.

Innovative features like glove mode on the Galaxy XCover Pro mean that healthcare providers can use their devices with their gloves on so that they can keep focusing on what’s important: patient care.

Affordable and More Secure

The Galaxy Tab A and Galaxy A20 are great value-based options when considering the constraints of public healthcare budgets. Providers can use the Galaxy Tab A tablet to take notes or take advantage of a larger screen when using patient care applications. The more portable form factor of the Galaxy A20 smartphone ensures healthcare teams and their patients are connected while on-the-go.

Protecting what’s important doesn’t only refer to drops and spills – especially where sensitive medical data is concerned. All Galaxy mobile solutions are equipped with built-in, defence-grade security thanks to Samsung Knox. This offers multilayered security and provides added peace of mind when handling confidential medical information. Samsung Knox IT Solutions also enables teams to remotely enroll, configure and manage a fleet of devices.^[1]

Whether healthcare workers are providing important medical care in-person or from a distance, Samsung is actively working to support healthcare partners with essential equipment and mobile solutions for their frontline teams.

About AlayaCare
AlayaCare’s unique platform offers a complete technology solution to manage the entire client lifecycle including referrals and intake, scheduling, coordination, client health records, clinical documentation, care worker management, billing and payroll, reporting, remote patient monitoring, and a mobile caregiver app in one integrated, highly robust and secure, cloud-based system. AlayaCare is providing the platform for home and community care organizations to propel towards innovation and home care of the future. AlayaCare was founded in 2014. www.alayacare.com

[1] Samsung Knox IT Solutions is available separately with a paid subscription.

² Based on internal testing. To clean your device, gently rub surface with a damp cloth (a hypochlorous acid –based (50-80ppm) or more than 70% ethanol or isopropyl alcohol product is recommended). Use a soft, lint-free, microfiber cloth – such as a camera lens cleaning cloth – to gently wipe the exterior surface of the phone. Samsung will not be responsible for any damage to the devices caused by the use of liquid or chemical solutions, or incorrect method thereof, not specified in this document. Samsung warns against the use of abrasive materials or alcohol-based solutions not approved for electronic devices since such use will likely scratch the device’s screen or wear down the oleophobic coating layer that keeps fingerprints from smudging the display. Samsung cannot guarantee as to the efficacy of the proposed guidelines.  Cleaning and sanitization results may vary and may not kill all bacteria, germs and viruses.

³ This device passed U.S. military specification (MIL-STD-810G) testing against a subset of 21 specific environmental conditions, including temperature, dust, shock/vibration, and low pressure/high altitude. Real world usage varies from the specific environmental   conditions used in MIL-STD-810G testing. Samsung does not guarantee device performance in all extreme conditions. Please see the inbox Quick Sales Guide.

IP68 is based on test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. Not advised for beach or pool use. Water or dust damage not covered by warranty.

[1] Separate purchase required.