PiSCE

Duration: September 2014 – December 2015 (16 months)|Status: running non-EPF led project | Funding Programme: tender project (reference: EAHC/2013/D2/027) financed by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for health and consumers (DG SANCO)

What is the project about?

The tender aims to take action and create a platform of experts in self-care and healthcare. This ultimate goal is to put in place a framework for action to enhance this type of care at EU level and develop strategies to support the broader implementation.

Self-care is gaining considerable attention in the healthcare field, while at the same time, has become a central element in the strategy of National Health Authorities, EU bodies, European Council and the WHO-Euro.

EU political decision-makers have realised that consumers and patients are gradually taking a new and more active role and that the current health system could not survive due to the resources it requires.

Project‘s Objectives?

PiSCE will create a platform of experts in self-care and healthcare. This will include representatives of healthcare providers, patient groups, healthcare professionals, academics, communication experts and other relevant stakeholders with experience in policy making both at EU and national level. 

The project in practice

Work Packages (WPs) include:

• WP1     Guideline on the promotion of self-care
• WP2     Guideline on the development and production of communication tools
• WP3     Report proposing actions and collaborations on self-care at EU level
• WP4     Closing conference
• WP5     Creating a platform of experts in self-care.

In phase 1, planning and analysis, the platform of experts is set up and a review of the state of the art and current situation of self-care in the European environment will be carried out. A review of literature, expert consultation and analysis of previous and current EU initiatives will be conducted.

Phase 2 is the execution phase where WP1-4 work towards their fixed objectives which an own appropriate methodology will be applied, with specific attention for the way consumers/patients are involved.

In phase 3 (dissemination and preparing continuation), the guidelines and the report on policy actions will be finalised and the closing conference will be organised. A communication plan and future scenarios of the platform will be prepared to further utilise the platform of experts after the end of the project to enhance broad implementation of effective self-care in the EU.

Expected outcomes

• A guideline for promotion of self-care
• A guideline for the development and production of communication tools.
• A report proposing policy actions on self-care at EU level
• A closing/concluding conference in Brussels

Consortium

Leader: Dutch Institute for Healthcare Improvement (CBO)

• Centro Ricerca e Formazione (CEREF)
• Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME)
• Chalmers University (CU)
• Danish Committee for Health Education (DCHE)
• European Health Futures Forum (EHFF)
• European Network on Patient Empowerment (ENOPE)
• European Patients‘ Forum (EPF)
• European Platform for Patients‘ Organisations, Science and Industry (Epposi)
• Avedis Donabedian Institute, Autonomous University of Barcelona (FAD)
• Masaryk University (MU)
• Barbara Kutryba Qveritas Doradztwo (Qveritas)
• Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych)
• Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientifc Research (TNO)
• University of Maastricht (UM)
• University of Kosice (UPJS)

EPF‘s role

We are a participating organisation. Although we are not leading any specific work package we will contribute to work packages 1, 2 and 3 as well as to the platform of experts.

Impact on patient community

New technologies, such as Internet platforms, mobile apps, and sensor devices, offer new opportunities. The way these services are delivered will play a role in stimulating self-care and empowerment of citizens and patients.

Self-care support leads to better quality of life, higher efficiency and lower costs. Of course, this may require extra support to citizens and patients in the short term but it will result in helping people live more independently.

In the first instance this project will focus on five self-limiting and minor conditions. They were selected on the basis of a cost-benefit study conducted by the European Commission. However, the PiSCE study will pay attention to generic aspects of self-care and to provide concrete actions so that the tools can be applicable for patients generally.