NWO-KIC grant for integrating social and technological health innovations

A broad consortium led by Dr. Noortje Jacobs (Erasmus MC) will work under the name ‘CARE VISiON’ on integrating two transition pathways in healthcare: ‘shared self-reliance,’ where communities jointly take on more care tasks, and technology as support for or replacement of formal care.

The research project has received an NWO-KIC grant of € 2,2 million for this purpose. Medical Delta is one of the consortium members of CARE VISiON.

Need for Transition

Without strategic intervention, a significant portion of the Dutch workforce will have to work as healthcare professionals or informal caregivers to cope with the increasing pressure on healthcare. To ensure the sustainability of both healthcare and the Dutch workforce, innovative strategies and processes are needed.

Two prominent solution paths have emerged to address this looming crisis: the social innovation of ‘shared self-reliance’ and technological healthcare innovations. Shared self-reliance contrasts with self-reliance. It represents a hybrid care system of formal and informal care, where self-reliance and support from healthcare professionals and informal caregivers come together.

Many technological innovations primarily focus on self-reliance and living independently for longer. This overlooks the potential of community-based care support, while technological innovations can support or promote collective self-reliance.

The transitions toward more shared self-reliance and increased technology use proceed separately and are based on different values. This leads to fragmentation, resistance, and suboptimal care. Many policy frameworks focus on either one path or the other.

A new healthcare system

CARE VISiON aims to stimulate the transition to more sustainable healthcare by integrating social innovations (shared self-reliance) with technological innovations and breaking down existing silos. To achieve this, CARE VISiON develops practical tools to integrate collective self-reliance and technological innovations.

This is done, among other things, by making underlying values explicit and manageable, with input from all key stakeholders, including older adults, informal caregivers, healthcare professionals, insurers, governments, developers, and researchers.

Consortium

The full consortium consists of Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Rotterdam, TU Delft, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, Municipality of The Hague, Municipality of Rotterdam, Health and Youth Care Inspectorate, Social and Cultural Planning Office, Council for Public Health & Society, Vilans, CZ, National Health Care Institute, Aafje, Arts en Zorg, Stichting Beter Keten, Actiz, MantelzorgNL, GENERO Network for elderly and informal care participation, Smartqare, Minddistrict, Medical Delta, Komovo, Stichting Gezondheid Allochtonen Nederland (SGAN), Samen met oudere migranten in Nederland (SOMNL), Stadsdorp Zuid Amsterdam, and Argumentenfabriek.

The principal applicant is Dr. Noortje Jacobs (Erasmus MC), with co-applicants Prof. Dr. Maartje Schermer, Prof. Dr. Arwin van Buuren, Dr. Lieke Oldenhof, and Dr. Rik Wehrens (all Erasmus University Rotterdam), Prof. Dr. Judith Rietjens (Erasmus MC, TU Delft), and Dr. Roy Bendor (TU Delft).

Various researchers and consortium members from Medical Delta programs are involved in CARE VISiON, including the Medical Delta 'Healthy Society Program,' the Medical Delta Program ‘Accelerating impactful technological innovations in healthcare,’ and the Medical Delta Program ‘Owning your health.’

See also: Three projects awarded for research on Values in Transition(s) | NWO

Also watch the video of Prof. Dr. Judith Rietjens about 'shared self-reliance' following her appointment as Medical Delta professor earlier this year:

About the KIC Mission Call ‘Values in Transition(s)’

Within the KIC Mission Call ‘Values in Transition(s),’ funding has been awarded to three projects, including CARE VISiON. Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary consortia of knowledge institutions, private and public partners will conduct research into the role and dynamics of values in transitions. The knowledge and insights they gain will contribute to accelerating, scaling up, and making transitions more inclusive, resulting in broad prosperity and multiple value creation.

Values are general principles, beliefs, and motivations that guide actions. Examples include values such as ‘health,’ ‘sincerity,’ ‘safety,’ ‘happiness,’ ‘privacy,’ and ‘energy justice.’ Values are often complex, multiple, and context-dependent. Moreover, specific values may increase or decrease in importance as a transition progresses. This makes it challenging to take values into account during transitions. Nevertheless, it is important to base transitions on values and on the heterogeneity within society. Research into the dynamics and role of values in transitions, and how to respond to them, increases the likelihood that transitions will succeed and thus create broad prosperity and social earning capacity.