RENEWING HeALTH

Duration: 45 months (February 2010 - December 2013) | Status: running non EPF-led project | Funding Programme: Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Policy Support Programme (PSP) – Pilot Actions - under the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP)

What is the project about?

RENEWING HeALTH, “REgioNs of Europe WorkINg toGether for HEALTH” aims at implementing large-scale real-life test-beds for the validation and subsequent evaluation of innovative telemedicine services in nine European regions for patients suffering from three major chronic conditions, notably diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The project uses a patient-centred approach and a common assessment methodology called Model for Assessment of Telemedicine (MAST). It is expected that a total of 7.900 patients will participate in the trials.

In the nine regions participating in the RENEWING HeALTH project the telemedicine service solutions are already operational at local level for the tele-monitoring and the treatment of chronic patients.

Projects’ objectives

The overall objective of the RENEWING HeALTH project is to demonstrate that telemedicine based services can improve quality of life, and enable patient involvement and empowerment while optimising the use of resources in healthcare provision.
The specific objectives of the project are presented here.

Consortium

RENEWING HeALTH involves a Consortium of 9 of the most advanced European regions in the implementation of health-related ICT services, supported by eHealth competence centres. Patients are represented in the Consortium by the European Patients’ Forum in an advisory but central role. Industry and main eHealth players are also represented in an Industrial Advisory Board.

EPF’s Role

EPF is involved - together with European Health Telematics Association (EHTEL) - in the management of the User Advisory Board (UAB). Its primary mission is to operate as a standing advisory committee to advise and provide on-going feed-back to the project team on the needs of users of the piloted telemedicine services.

The UAB brings together some 15 EU-wide organisations representing direct and indirect users of telemedicine services. As far as patient groups are concerned, all three disease areas concerned are represented by the following organisations: the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Associations, European Heart Network, and the International Diabetes Federation – Europe.
So far the UAB has held five meetings at European level and two local meetings (one in Veneto Region, Italy and one in Norrbotten, Sweden) with representatives of patients, health professionals, and health managers participating in the project.

The UAB is also working on a framework for the representation of user requirements in telemedicine which can be downloaded at the following link.

Impact on patients’ community

Telemedicine-based services can improve quality of life. On the clinical side it can remove anxiety about health conditions and reduce the need to use emergency services and hospital stays. Solutions are also planned to support the empowerment of patients and increase their satisfaction while optimising the use of resources in healthcare provision. Finally standard patients programs for each telemedicine service will be created to ensure a safe, clear and efficient pathway for patients in their journey through the healthcare system.

 

 

Page last modified: 28 August 2012