A week ago, the Valencian Health Department introduced the updated version of its GVA+ Salut app, which includes new features for patients, including access to digital SIP (Health Insurance Card) records and radiological examinations. Additionally, enhanced security measures are implemented to safeguard the sensitive health information of Valencian residents. Patients and personnel are encountering some challenges in adjusting to the new app, as is the case with any technological change.
Users’ primary grievance pertains to the app’s accessibility. The app’s login process is currently problematic due to the fact that users were previously required to input a four-digit code, which served as a form of password, and the code was stored for an extended period of time. Therefore, if an individual exited the application and subsequently returned a few minutes later, they were not required to re-enter their credentials. Currently, patients are required to configure their fingerprint or facial recognition in order to log in. If this is not feasible, they may input a code that is sent via text message (SMS), which significantly complicates the process. “It is somewhat intricate,” elucidates a woman in her thirties. “If it is challenging for me, it is significantly more challenging for my mother.”
This scenario is particularly true for the utilisation of two sections that contain the most sensitive information: the digital SIP card and radiological tests, which are also two of the most significant new features in the most recent app version. Access to these sections necessitates either a digital certificate or the Cl@ve system, which can be intricate on mobile devices, even for those who are most accustomed to this technology or younger users.
From patient to staff
When individuals are perplexed by the new application, they seek assistance from healthcare professionals and visit their traditional health centre to enquire about the app. The admissions and administration staff are the most affected. However, the institutions are not equipped to accommodate this demand. Jordi Poquet, a UGT union representative at the Doctor Peset health facility in Valencia, criticises, “We lack the necessary training to assist them, as many of us are unaware of the app’s functionality.” This Tuesday, he was personally assisting two patients at the Parque Alcosa clinic. Staff members have been providing support to patients with digital divide issues, with a particular emphasis on “elderly individuals, patients of other nationalities, and individuals with disabilities,” as per Poquet.
Alfafar, Sedaví, Benetússer, and La Torre are all experiencing this issue. The Health Department should have installed an information exhibit in the majority of centres to instruct the public on how to operate the new application, according to the UGT representative. “Many of us were unaware of the impending change or the mechanics of it,” he asserts. “We are of the opinion that the Health Department should have provided staff training on this matter.”
Videos that provide clarification
Residents of the Valencian Community have been instructed on how to operate the new application through a sequence of instructional videos developed by the Valencian Health Department. Bernardo Valdivieso, the Regional Secretary for Planning, Information, and Digital Transformation, clarified these points during the press conference that introduced the GVA+ Salut app in response to enquiries from the media. SMS text messages will be employed to transmit these videos as links, a method that was effectively implemented during the most recent storm and the subsequent days.
