Digital Health
Grant agreement ID: Accordo quadro per l’affidamento dei lotti di supporto in ambito “Sanità Digitale - Sistemi Informativi Clinico- Assistenziali” per le Pubbliche Amministrazioni del SSN – lotto 5 e lotto 6, ai sensi dell’art. 26 della Legge n. 488/99 e s.m.i., dell’art. 58 della Legge n. 388/2000, del D.M. 24 febbraio 2000 e del D.M. 2 maggio 2001
Principal investigator: Francesco Longo, Paola Roberta Boscolo (CeRGAS)
Team UB/Cergas: Claudio Buongiorno Sottoriva, Francesca Guerra, Fabio Amatucci, Marianna Cavazza, Marco Sartirana, Claudio Caccia, Michela Bobini, Mario Del Vecchio, Valeria Rappini
Partners: Regione Lombardia, Aria Spa, Regione Veneto, Regione Marche, Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia, KPMG, EY, Mckinsey, PA Advice, Fondazione Politecnico di Milano, P4i
Sponsor: PNRR - Consip and regional co-sponsorship
Duration: January 2022 – December 2025
Abstract:
Regions are currently leading the digital transformation of the NHS with clear and prescriptive mandates from the national level. Investments are mostly focused on building a solid technological infrastructure and developing effective digital tools to spread within and across regions. This is the case for instance of telemedicine, new interoperable electronic clinical records, the national data repository (FSE), information systems for the whole healthcare value chain, including new tools for territorial and home base care. Other innovations relate to digital pathology, imaging, drugs logistics, laboratory information systems, emergency and non-emergency digital channels (118 and 116/117), thus impacting both hospitals and the territory. CeRGAS researchers are currently supporting regions to co-design digital development projects and their implementation, while investigating the needs of public and private healthcare organizations, professionals and different patients’ targets. In parallel, CeRGAS is delivering custom educational programs for different professional groups, including chief information officers (CIOs), nurses, doctors and managers of territorial, hospital and research organizations (ee.gg. direttori di distretto, direttori socio-sanitari, direttori generali e amministrativi, dirigenti regionali). Courses cover topics such as digital transformation trends in healthcare, data-driven service redesign, professional digital competences.
The main objectives of Sanità Digitale are:
O1: INFORMATION: developing new competences and knowledge for regional and hospital chief information officers (CIOs), hospital managers, and healthcare professionals about digitization policy goals, challenges and requirements.
O2: TOOLS: designing and supporting the development of effective digitalization projects and digital tools, mostly for taking care of chronic and fragile patients, that needs life-long treatments and care. Digital tools include digital platforms and devices to be used by both medical doctors, nurses, assistants and patients, in order to deliver/receive care, plan and actively manage care plans, as well as booking care services (diagnostics activities, medical appointments, ancillary services, residential care and assistance).
O3: METHODS: mixed methods, including focus groups, design thinking exercises, desk research, and qualitative analyses of both administrative and epidemiological data
O4: DEMONSTRATION: proving the value of participated design of digital tools, bench-learning among different healthcare organizations, data driven planning and governance of regional healthcare systems.
O5: REPLICATION: developing frameworks for healthcare digital transformation that can inspire other digitalization initiatives in other local contexts, in addition to platforms, devices and algorithms that, if proved effective, could be scaled and extensively been adopted.
O6: ENGAGEMENT: engaging different professionals (ICT, CIOs, physicians, managers at multiple institutional levels, hospital- and home-based nurses) from both the public and private sector to lead digital transformation with a very inclusive and engaging approach.
Material produced and publications:
Longo, F., Boscolo, P.R. and Sottoriva, C.B., (2022). "Un framework per la digitalizzazione del territorio." Mecosan-Management ed Economia Sanitaria-Open Access (122).
Longo, F., Boscolo, P.R. and Sottoriva, C.B., Delgrossi, G. (2022). Un framework per la digitalizzazione del territorio, Quotidiano Sanità
Boscolo, P.R., Sottoriva, C., Guerra, F. (2023), Sanità territoriale, come ripensare servizi e percorsi di cura col digitale, Agenda Digitale
Sottoriva, C., Guerra, F. (2023). Sanità Digitale in regione Lombardia, nuovi servizi grazie al digitale, Agenda Digitale
Caccia, C. (2023), Cambiare la sanità territoriale col digitale: un approccio manageriale, Agenda Digitale
Dissemination:
Presentations of the Digital Transformation Framework developed by CeRGAS at all local health authorities in Lombardy, at the regional PNRR Board in Veneto, and upon invitation also in Emilia Romagna.
Presentations (conferences):
Boscolo, PR., Digitalizzare la presa in carico di pazienti cronici e fragili, Welfair Roma, invited by FNOPI, The National Federation of Orders for Nursing Professions. Infermieri protagonisti a Welfair 2023