what

The project Avenue-Pal aimed to improve palliative care from three angles: hospitals, nursing homes and caregivers. In particular, metrics to optimize were the transfers, which often happen in the last phase of life (e.g. transfer of a terminally ill patient from a nursing home to a hospital). While overall goal was to develop a series of guidelines which hospitals, healthcare professionals and nursing home personal can follow, I was particularly involved in the development of an IT systems which would support the initiative.

The aim of the sub-project “Solution for Information & Communication” was to

1. simplify guidelines implementation on sites
2. empower caregivers in the system

Both targets were addressed by developing systems to deliver adequate information to the right actors or participants at the right time.

my role

Project engineer at first, IT project lead short after the project began. I was leading team of developers, who was working on prototypes for the informational systems.

where / with whom

Institute for Biomedical Technology at the University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen in collaboration with TransMIT GmbH (Giessen), University Clinic of Giessen and Marburg and AWO Giessen (a nursing home).

when

2019-2021

so what?

The project delivered two prototypes:

1. Digital guideline implementation system, which could potentially replace hardly readable plain-texts issued by govermental bodies. The system consisted of an assessment part, informational part and tracking part. The workflow of any institution, which would use the system would be streamlined, as it gave portionized information in correct order about which aspects in the institution need to be addressed in order to comply with the new set of guidelines. The system was tested in the partners institution and described helpful and time-saving.

2. An iOS and Android app for caregivers, which proved itself useful during user tests by healthcare professionals and caregivers. The app contained curated and granularly prepared pieces of information, so that every situation can be assessed and assisted. It also has provided a way to store the data in FHIR format - so potentially compatible with other medical systems.

As the project was funded by GBA (Federal Joint Cometee - curates public health sector), all developments and documentation were handed over to the GBA and DLR (German Center of Airospace Flights, which also curates innovations in biomedical and healthcare spheres).