European Public Health Challenges Completed

Tackling social inequalities in health with the use of e-health and telemedicine solutions

Ministry of Health, Department of eHealth ·Poland

€5.2m

Grant awarded

Health

Programme

22 May 2020

Signed

About this project

The project was intended to equalise to equalize access to and improve healthcare in Poland through telemedicine and e-health, focusing on the poorest groups and remote areas. Seven models and standards of telemedicine procedures (including in cardiology, geriatrics, psychiatry (including mental health), obstetrics, diabetology, palliative care and chronic diseases) was be developed. The chosen models have been tested as pilot projects by supra-regional hospitals and institutes, chosen in the open call. The pilots have been evaluated by an independent entity to identify successful ones to be financed from public sources in the future. The project delivered analysis, technical assistance, training and awareness-raising including, inter alia, the following activities: <ul> <li>Analyses and reports on the possibilities of adapting the Norwegian experience to the Polish ground and developing models of telemedicine solutions to be tested under the projects in the open call</li> <li>IT-training for doctors in the most deprived areas, including on software specific for telemedicine and e-health, and e-training on mental health: 756 medical staff members were trained. </li> <li>Nationwide awareness raising campaign on telemedicine and mental health, prophylaxis and vaccinations. The number of viewers of the second phase of the campaign reached more than 27 million people. </li> <li>Webinars for patients with specialists dedicated to prophylaxis and treatment of certain diseases </li> <li>Conference summing up the results of implementation of pilot/model projects  </li> <li>Dissemination workshops on telemedicine and e-health pilot/model projects </li> <li>Study visits</li> <li>Evaluation of the telemedicine models and their application </li> <li>Information and promotion materials, including materials for the promoters of the projects implemented under the open call</li> <li> Bilateral Platform for Cooperation, education and training activities  </li> </ul>

Bilateral cooperation results

It is important to mention that not only cooperation dedicated to development of telemedicine models was significant. Also the whole scope of activities named as the Bilateral Platform for Cooperation gave opportunity to collect and manage many insights, based on interviews with researchers at universities and hospitals, practitioners and patients, on how technological tools and digital home care change the healthcare system, ensuring a more personalized and holistic approach. Also within the project additional values should be taken into consideration such as the discussion on how the health services can benefit from using AI to improve prevention, prediction, diagnosis and treatment. Study visits also created a space to discuss of further development of cooperation between Poland and Norway. Even though the project was finalized, Polish and Norwegian experts carry on their cooperation and are looking for different areas where so far gained experience and knowledge can be helpful and worth to develop.

Project partners

Norwegian Centre for E-health Research, Tromsø Donor project partner· Norway

Poland country profile Other projects in this programme Project website