Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra (ULS Coimbra) , one of the largest healthcare institutions in Portugal, has identified two major healthcare challenges affecting the elderly and patients undergoing rehabilitation. To address these, two SMEs have been selected per challenge—each with a local leader to ensure seamless communication and contextual understanding, and an interregional follower to bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. Let’s meet the four companies co-creating solutions to improve healthcare in the region.
Hospital Challenge 1: RecoMed
Challenge overview
Many patients in CHUC’s Plastic Surgery and Burns department require ongoing care after surgery, especially those needing medication adjustments. However, communication gaps during transitions of care can lead to medication errors, causing delayed recoveries, readmissions, or complications. Addressing this is critical to improving patient safety and outcomes in post-operative care.
Proposed solution
MediRecon is a digital solution designed to streamline the process of medication reconciliation for patients in ULS’s Plastic Surgery and Burns department. By integrating with the hospital’s electronic medical record system, MediRecon will automatically gather and verify patients’ medication lists, identify discrepancies between current and prescribed medications, and alert healthcare professionals to these discrepancies. This ensures safer transitions of care and reduces medication-related errors, improving patient safety and healthcare efficiency.
IT Companies co-creating the solution
- VirtualCare
VirtualCare, known for developing cutting-edge biomedical IT solutions, will lead the development of MediRecon. Their experience in healthcare technology ensures the system will efficiently integrate with existing hospital infrastructure, offering real-time updates and user-friendly interfaces for healthcare providers to manage patient medications safely.
- Complear
Complear will focus on ensuring the MediRecon platform complies with medical device certification requirements, preparing it for large-scale adoption in healthcare settings. Their expertise in medical device regulation will ensure that the solution meets the highest standards of safety and efficacy.
Hospital Challenge 2: Reabilitar@mente
Challenge overview
At ULS, elderly patients make up 70% of medical admissions, and many experience cognitive decline during hospitalization. This decline often results in a loss of independence, reduced quality of life, and longer hospital stays. Current approaches to cognitive rehabilitation are insufficient to address the complexities of cognitive and functional impairment in this population.
Proposed solution
To tackle this, ULS will enhance its COGWEB solution with CogniViTra 2.0, an upgraded digital platform that combines cognitive and physical rehabilitation. The system will provide tailored rehabilitation exercises based on individual patients’ needs and preferences, focusing on both cognitive tasks and simple motor functions. The personalized approach will ensure a smoother recovery during hospitalization and continue supporting patients after discharge, helping to prevent cognitive decline and promote long-term well-being.
IT Companies co-creating the solution
- Neuroinova
Neuroinova, an expert in cognitive and functional rehabilitation technologies, will spearhead the development of CogniViTra 2.0. Their platform will focus on providing personalized cognitive exercises for elderly patients, making the recovery process more engaging and effective during and after hospitalization.
- Everythink, Lda
Everythink will support Neuroinova by integrating physical rehabilitation elements into the platform, creating a holistic approach to recovery. Their experience in developing accessible digital solutions for elderly patients will ensure that the platform is easy to use and effective in promoting both cognitive and physical rehabilitation, contributing to improved patient outcomes.
In the coming months, the selected SMEs will receive comprehensive support from HealthChain. They will engage in an intensive co-creation and piloting phase with the healthcare organization to test and validate their solutions in real-world settings. Additionally, they will gain access to expert guidance to refine their business strategies and scale their innovations for broader impact.
