Digital companion to Improve Patient Experience in the Continuum of Care in Romania
Improved chronic patient management across different services
The North East Romania region, with over 700k patient hospitalization cases per year, presents some disparities that hinder the chronic patients‘ smooth monitoring. Some examples are poor access to medical services for rural patients and difficult transportation to the specialty hospitals, an excessive number of hospital presentations, leading to patients waiting for hours to see their MD, or the existence of multiple healthcare institutions in the region lacking a unified communication channel for sharing patient data. Healthcare professionals often lack a complete perspective of the patient’s situation and lose essential time in recapping past diagnoses, analyses, and registered healthcare markers.
Currently, chronic patients keep track of their tests and appointments manually. This leads to incomplete information about their condition and unnecessary redundancy of doctor appointments. It also hinders effective patient follow-up on the doctor’s side.
Moreover, chronic patient appointment schedule is traditionally done by pen-and-paper, phone call appointments, or a centralized registration office operating only during certain hours, leaving little room to real-time adapting in-hospital appointments to the real patients’ needs or risk. This affects dramatically all parties involved – from patients and their caretakers waiting for hours to a high shortage of medical staff in a high-pressure working environment.
The solution should be used by two main groups:
- Chronic patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), Heart Failure, Mental Health (specific depression), and Diabetes located in the North region of Romania
- Doctors working in specialty hospitals
Challenge owners
Several multidisciplinary healthcare providers in Iasi, North-East Romania: Clinical Hospital Dr. C.I. Parhon; Institute of Cardiovascular diseases Dr. George I. M. Georgescu; Institute of Psychiatry Socola; Emergency Clinical Hospital Sf. Spiridon
Registration deadline
23 April 2023
Status
Closed
What we are looking for:
In short, we are looking for a virtual assistant to improve patients’ experience in the continuum of care while allowing more efficient use of healthcare provider resources. The solution will have to serve over 200k patients per year for in-hospital appointments in at least 4 clinical hospitals. As a desirable outcome, each patient from the North-east Romania region could benefit from access to medical services at the right time, prioritized by personalized and predicted risk factors, thus reducing redundancies.
We are looking for a friendly-user interface solution that will create value for different stakeholders.
Through this tool/application patients should be able to:
- See the availability of their doctors.
- Make periodic appointments with the needed healthcare providers.
- Upload their medical documents, diagnostics, and prescriptions to ease the practitioner’s access to them.
- Access basic information about their condition and doctor’s visit preparation.
Healthcare professionals should:
- Identify chronic patients’ risk and emergency levels and prioritize appointments accordingly.
- Receive recommendations about different appointment intervals for each patient depending on the patient’s pathology and the level of emergency.
- Be able to share their working hours’ availability with their patients.
- Access complete information about the patient.
Hospitals could:
- Improve medical staff schedule management leading to optimized costs.
- Benefit from a cross-platform shared among hospitals allowing a smooth alignment in their operations.
- Enhance patient experience and satisfaction with the services provided.
We are open to several solutions that address the problem as a total or some aspects of it.
FAQ
Who can apply?
Incorporated companies with a product or technology that addresses the challenges released. At least, a prototype of the solution should exist. There are no further specific requirements in terms of Technology Readiness Level (TLR), sales, minimum investment attracted, or country of registration.
European and non-European SMEs are invited to apply.
How can I apply to this challenge?
Click on „Apply now“ and follow the instructions to submit an application. You will answer different questions about your company and the product you present as a possible solution to the challenge.
How are applications evaluated?
The main selection criteria is product-challenge fit. Applications are sent to the relevant teams in each challenge-owner, who decide which companies are selected. To increase the chances of a successful application, make sure you carefully read the information we have published about each challenge and show in your application how your product could be a perfect match. The questions in the application will guide you!
Can I apply to more than one challenge?
Yes, of course! However, you will need to submit one individual application per challenge and customize it according to the challenge.
I have a solution for a challenge, but it still requires some changes or development. Can I still apply?
Yes, the main requirement is that your solution addresses the challenge. In case you are selected, during the meetings with the challenge owners, you can clarify the needs of both parties and decide on possible changes/modifications/extra features, etc.
We encourage you to apply even if your solution only fulfills some of the requirements of the „ideal solution“ mentioned above. Both off-the-shelf and customizable options are relevant!
Where does Start-ups Meet Healthcare Providers take place?
Mostly online, with the possibility to organize meetings in person in the Meet&Visit module.
What is the cost for my company?
None, it is completely free of charge. No fee, no equity taken. You only need to bring professionalism and commitment to make the best out of this opportunity.
Is a collaboration 100% secured for the SMEs selected?
Neither party is obliged to enter into a partnership. We will create the optimal environment for a collaboration to start, but whether this happens, and the conditions of the collaboration, will be exclusively decided by the parties involved.
However, we guarantee 100% of the selected companies will be connected to the relevant teams within the challenge-owner, will have 1-on-1 partnership exploration meetings, and will receive support to prepare for that occasion in the best possible way.
My product or solution is not a fit for any of the challenges… what can I do?
We constantly release different challenges in collaboration with industry leaders and healthcare providers. Join our start-ups database and you will be immediately notified when new challenges are out!