IGTP involved in three European innovation projects receiving over 12 million euros in funding

The Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), through its INEDIT group, will be part of three European projects aimed at improving the quality and efficiency of healthcare through innovative solutions.

These are the projects under the acronyms adoptHIT, PIPRA and CAREPATH. The first two have received funding through the EIT Health Flagship call of the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), which supports innovation and training in the European healthcare sector: €48,230 for adoptHIT and €699,804 for PIPRA, which has a total budget of nearly one million euros. The third project has secured €11,700,000 through Call 6 of the Innovative Health Initiative, a highly competitive funding programme under one of the European Commission's flagship health initiatives.

With these projects, the Innovation, Health Economics and Digital Transformation Research Group (INEDIT) at IGTP, established in early 2022, positions itself as a reference in the field of innovation and applied health research. The team, composed of specialists from various disciplines-mostly from the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital (HUGTiP)-will continue conducting cross-disciplinary studies to improve the healthcare model in collaboration with groups from other countries.

Daniel Moreno, head of the Innovation Unit at HUGTiP and member of the INEDIT group at IGTP, highlights the great opportunity provided by the awarding of these projects: "They will allow us not only to transfer innovations into clinical practice but also to establish strategic alliances with leading European institutions. It is a unique opportunity to strengthen our role in international networks and to position patient-centred care and new technologies as key pillars in the transformation of the healthcare system".

adoptHIT: preparing professionals for change and innovation in the health system

The adoptHIT project aims to promote the adoption of innovative solutions in the health sector through the training of healthcare professionals and managers. To achieve this, an online course will be developed providing practical tools for change management, stakeholder engagement, innovation adoption, and exploration of trends in digital health, with a focus on real cases and best practices. Supported by artificial intelligence avatar technology, the course will be available in multiple languages to ensure an inclusive and international reach.

The project is coordinated by the INEDIT group at IGTP, in collaboration with Leeds Hospital (United Kingdom). Aligned with European standards for the adoption of innovation in health and with the Innovation Access Program to the Catalan Health System (PASS), led by Biocat, adoptHIT aims to empower professionals to integrate new technologies into their daily work and become agents of change within the healthcare system.

PIPRA: technology to prevent postoperative delirium in older adults

The PIPRA project aims to transform the management of postoperative delirium (POD), a serious complication affecting up to 23% of patients over 60 years old. Characterised by agitation and altered consciousness, POD is associated with longer hospital stays, increased risk of dementia, and higher mortality, as well as incurring substantial healthcare costs, which can reach €25,000 per patient and amount to up to €182 billion annually in Europe.

To tackle this issue, PIPRA has developed an innovative artificial intelligence system, certified with the CE mark and clinically validated, which allows for the identification of patients at higher risk of developing POD and facilitates the efficient implementation of large-scale preventive measures. Aiming to bring this technology to the Spanish and German markets, the project will deploy the system in three Spanish hospitals and one German hospital, collecting clinical and economic evidence to demonstrate its impact and accelerate its commercialisation.

The project is led by Dr Miquel Àngel Mas and involves several departments at HUGTiP, including the chronic care and nursing teams. The IGTP will not only serve as a reference point for the implementation of the system but will also, through the INEDIT research group, lead the economic cost-effectiveness analysis within the Spanish healthcare system. This study will generate essential data to support negotiations with health authorities and lay the groundwork for the expansion of PIPRA in Spain, establishing it as a key tool to reduce the impact of postoperative delirium and improve patients' quality of life.

CAREPATH: innovation to improve the management of chronic diseases in Europe

CAREPATH is an ambitious initiative aimed at transforming the management of chronic diseases through innovations in the treatment of some of the most prevalent conditions, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. The project seeks to strengthen the resilience of healthcare systems with the goal of achieving better health outcomes and reducing care costs. It also aims to give patients a greater role by improving communication and data sharing among all stakeholders, thereby reinforcing the healthcare ecosystem and alleviating the burden on health services.

The project is coordinated from Sweden and involves an international consortium of 42 partners from six different countries. One of the key players in this project is IGTP, which will play a crucial role in implementing both digital and non-digital solutions tailored to the specific needs of each participating country, taking into account the economic and healthcare particularities of each local context. This personalised approach ensures that the solutions are truly useful and effective in every setting.

The project aims to establish itself as a leader in creating a more efficient, modern, and patient-centred healthcare system, promoting collaboration between the public and private sectors and opening new pathways to improve health outcomes across Europe. CAREPATH represents a key opportunity to achieve more equitable and personalised healthcare for all European citizens.

IGTP, a driving force in health research and innovation

The advancement of European projects such as adoptHIT, PIPRA and CAREPATH reaffirms IGTP's commitment to innovation and applied health research, with the aim of developing solutions that enhance clinical practice and quality of care. This progress is essential to accelerate the adoption of new technologies and strengthen the competitiveness of the European healthcare system.

IGTP is part of the Can Ruti Campus, a centre of excellence that brings together leading healthcare and research institutions. As an Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (IIS) accredited by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), IGTP coordinates the scientific strategy and research management of the Campus, particularly in national ISCIII calls, working closely with the other centres that make up the consortium.