Beyond the distance: Sokndal's investment in video-assisted care eliminates travel costs

Turning geography into a capacity advantage

Sokndal municipality, Norway, faced significant geographical challenges that directly inflated the cost of homecare delivery. 

The distance between clients meant healthcare personnel were forced to spend valuable time driving, resulting in time pressure that made it challenging to ensure users received medication at the right time. 

This case study demonstrates how moving beyond the unit price and investing in Evondos' VideoMed solution was a strategic decision to virtualise visits, eliminate resource movement and improve both compliance and cost management.

The hidden cost of distance

The challenge: Time pressure and resource drain

Sokndal's core operational problem was that physical presence was tied to medication dispensing, forcing staff to use costly time and resources on movement. This commitment to travel created dual risks:

• Operational inefficiency: Valuable nurse time was consumed by travel, taking resources away from high-needs users.
• Safety and adherence risk: The time pressure caused by driving between distant users made it challenging to adhere strictly to medication distribution times, increasing the risk of non-compliance.

The municipality sought a high-value partnership and comprehensive service—not just a basic dispenser—that could improve distribution and monitor users closely, without physically using resources on movement.

The goal: Strategic virtualisation of care

Sokndal’s objective was to implement a flexible dispensing system that could substitute physical visits with digital supervision while guaranteeing medication safety. This strategic investment was intended to:

• 1. Optimise resource allocation: Replace physical inspections or supplement them with digital inspections to eliminate unnecessary travel.
• 2. Improve adherence and oversight: Ensure users receive medicines at the precise time, with real-time video confirmation (safety, trust & compliance).

Evondos' comprehensive solution

Partnering for flexible, video-assisted compliance

Sokndal became the first municipality in Norway to adopt the Evondos Anna dispenser with the unique VideoMed functionality. This premium investment was chosen for its best-in-class support, proven track record and comprehensive platform commitment.

The VideoMed solution delivered two strategic modes of operation:

• Independent mode: The user dispenses medication as usual, but the video function can be used regardless of medication time to perform safety-creating digital supervision.
• Assisted mode: Healthcare personnel manage the dispensing time, establishing video contact to release the multidose bag during conversation and eye contact. Crucially, users in this mode can only dispense medication during this video call, adding a layer of security and eliminating the need for physical presence.

The investment also includes more than just the device and the video feature:

Dedicated customer success partnership: Evondos provides a highly trained Customer Success Manager (CSM) to guide Sokndal through onboarding, staff training, new organizational processes and patient selection. This dedicated support helps the local care organization successfully integrate this complex new technology, a vital service that many customers don’t get anywhere else.  

Proven reliability and safety: Evondos is the European market leader, with a track record of 10+ years working with over 700 municipalities and care homes, demonstrating reliability and scaleability. The service ensures 99% medication adherence.

By choosing Evondos, Sokndal invested in a partner they can depend on to provide real value, safety, and quality care, enabling them to provide independence at scale with no compromises.

Shifting workflow from travel to interaction

This allowed Sokndal to fundamentally redesign their workflow. By shifting routine visits to digital supervision, the team could monitor users more closely based on individual needs, without spending resources on movement.

Quantified value: The measurable return on investment

Outcome-driven results

The adoption of Evondos VideoMed delivered immediate value across operational and patient-facing metrics.

Cost-conscious innovation: Travel elimination

The ability to replace or supplement physical inspections with digital supervision immediately converted travel expenses into operational savings.

• Eliminating resource movement: The solution directly addressed the high cost of travel in a geographically spread municipality.
• ROI on time: By eliminating driving time, healthcare staff were able to re-engage valuable hours into high-quality care, improving distribution efficiency during high-pressure periods. This frees up nursing time to focus on complex care tasks, addressing the staff shortage crisis.

Safety, trust & compliance: Assured oversight

The VideoMed functionality provided an unassailable level of safety and patient confidence:

• Enhanced compliance: Personnel can confirm the user is taking the medication through the camera, an outcome of great value to staff and family.
• Immediate wellbeing checks: The video consultation allowed staff to gain a better understanding of the user's well-being and offer advice, integrating a quality care check into the dispensing process.
• Guaranteed delivery: The ability to remotely manage and release medication in assisted mode ensured precise distribution, removing the risk of delays caused by travel pressures.

Workforce empowerment: Flexible staffing

The solution gave healthcare personnel the flexibility to manage time more effectively (workforce empowerment).

• Improved resource planning: Staff gained the ability to monitor users closely without physical travel, enabling more accurate and flexible resource planning.
• Staff confidence: The intuitive design gave staff great faith in the new solution, supporting adoption and reducing resistance to change. It simplifies workflows, giving nurses more time for quality care and where "warm hands are needed".

Why Sokndal chose investment over distance

For Sokndal, the investment in Evondos Anna was a fundamental strategic decision: They purchased guaranteed resource efficiency, the virtual elimination of costly travel time and a robust, compliant solution for medication oversight backed by an experienced partner, demonstrating a clear commitment to long-term societal savings. 

That choice now empowers citizens to stay independent at home longer, thereby delaying expensive and unwanted institutional care while improving lives.

Ready to see the Evondos impact for yourself? Speak to us today to find out how we can provide the long-term value and strategic partnership needed to future-proof your healthcare service.