Advances in healthcare – four projects improving prevention strategies

In April 2024, the European Partnership on Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS) launched its second Joint Transnational Call entitled “Innovate to Prevent: Personalized Prevention in Health and Care Services.” This initiative focuses on developing new healthcare models that prioritise prevention in three key areas, namely secondary, tertiary, and quaternary prevention.

By integrating advanced digital technologies, the initiative aims to create scalable and adaptable solutions that can be applied across different healthcare systems. These solutions are designed to enhance patient well-being, provide personalised care, and optimise the use of resources. Ultimately, the goal is to improve healthcare delivery, reduce health disparities, and achieve better health outcomes for diverse populations.

An independent evaluation panel reviewed 114 research proposals and selected 20 for funding. The scientific work is already underway.

Four researchers supported by the SNSF

The SNSF is supporting four researchers from Swiss research institutions who are involved in the following projects funded through this competitive programme:

• Professor Matthias Wilhelm from the University Hospital in Bern is involved in the COMPASS project. This European initiative aims to improve cardiac rehabilitation by developing personalised programmes that incorporate advanced technologies, such as telerehabilitation and wearable devices. The programmes will be designed to meet the specific needs of patients in Italy, Portugal and Switzerland while addressing cultural and healthcare system differences. A key aspect of the project is collaborating with patients and healthcare professionals to co-create practical, easy-to-use, and effective rehabilitation programmes. The project will also include an analysis of the economic and organisational impact to assess feasibility and support the integration of these programmes into national healthcare systems. The ultimate goal is to establish an inclusive and sustainable model of cardiac rehabilitation that can be adapted to other healthcare settings across Europe.
• Professor Jean-Paul Calbimonte from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts – Western Switzerland (HES-SO) is involved in the CONNECT-CARE project. This European initiative aims to improve young people’s healthcare by developing a digital platform that helps them manage their health, prevent obesity, and adopt healthier lifestyles. A key feature of the platform is NutriFit Advisor, an AI-powered system that offers personalised health recommendations for obesity management. The project will also create the Youth Empowerment Hub (YEH), which integrates data from healthcare systems, including clinical, socioeconomic, and cultural factors. The YEH will also offer digital resources for personalised care and improve communication with healthcare providers. To test the feasibility and effectiveness of this platform, randomised controlled trials will be conducted in Spain and Denmark.
• Professor Stéphane Armand and his team from the University of Geneva are involved in the European ENABLE project. This initiative aims to improve the assessment and rehabilitation of children suffering from motor disorders caused by neurological or muscular conditions, such as cerebral palsy or myopathy. Functional assessments of motor skills are usually carried out in clinical settings. While these methods are accurate, they are often expensive, time-consuming, and do not fully reflect the child's daily functional mobility. Moreover, therapies to restore motor skills also require frequent care centre visits, placing a significant burden on families. To address these challenges, the ENABLE project is developing an innovative mobile application, accessible to children, their parents, and healthcare professionals. With the help of artificial intelligence, this application will enable children's motor skills to be frequently assessed in their everyday environment, provide personalised rehabilitation based on each child's abilities and predefined therapeutic goals, and allow ongoing monitoring of motor progress. Healthcare professionals will also have access to real-time data, enabling quick treatment adjustments.
• Arthur Gavotto, attending physician at the Geneva University Hospital (HUG), is involved in the QUALIREHAB project. This European initiative aims to improve the quality of life for children, adolescents, and young adults with chronic diseases. The project brings together advanced digital technologies, AI-driven exercise prescriptions, and continuous monitoring to create personalised rehabilitation programmes that address both the physical and mental health needs of patients. Additionally, healthcare providers will receive educational resources to help them better manage exercise, mental health, and chronic diseases in patient care. By collaborating with patient organisations, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders, the project also aims to advocate for policy changes that integrate physical activity and mental health support into pediatric healthcare systems.