Prof. Áine Carroll, Professor of Healthcare Integration and Improvement at University College Dublin (and a Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine) recently presented the ValueCare project at the HSE Digital Academy Forum which took place via webinar on Wednesday 24th March 2021. The theme for the first DAF of 2021 was “Disruptive Healthcare Technology” and featured a great line-up of speakers.
In her presentation, Aine delves into the background behind complex adaptive systems theory and showcases the ValueCare project being piloted in Cork and Kerry.
She outlines the journey towards patient-centred co-ordinated care in Ireland and explains why digital technology is an essential component of integrated care. Aine focuses on is The ValueCare project which is a Europe wide initiative that has the goal of delivering efficient outcome-based integrated health and social care for older people with chronic health conditions. She recounts how they aim to enhance the experience of older people through innovative digital solutions and to ultimately improve care outcomes while maintaining the quality of life for older people with frailties. Aine then maps out the phases of the pilot project which will be run in clinical and home settings in the Cork and Kerry Regions for 240 older citizens. She also talks about the importance of a co-design journey which enables them to answer the question “What matters to you?” rather than “what is the matter with you?”.
Aine discusses the challenges the Covid Pandemic have brought to the project and the virtualised solutions they have devised to overcome these. She concludes by describing how the ValueCare project will support the physical, mental and social wellbeing requirements of its participants when it is up and running.
