Objective
The project D-LAB focuses its research on the organisation, control and management of diagnostic tests outside the traditional Central Laboratory, in Points of Care Testing (POCT). In this area D-LAB aims also at contributing to a paradigm shift in the organisation of the services of diagnostic testing, through the development of the concept of Virtual Laboratory to integrate and monitor all the testing activities performed inside Hospitals, at Medical Offices, at Pharmacies and at Health Care Centres in general.
The objectives are centred:
on the issue of integration of information through the development of a "middleware" that integrates the information produced at distributed POCT's with Information Systems of the Healthcare Organisation;
on the interconnection and usability of POCT equipments;
on "standardisation" issues with the definition of clinical protocols and guidelines for POCT activity in a distributed environment.
The D-LAB architecture will be tested and validated in two pilot sites, in Italy and Greece.
Work description:
The following main phases can be identified in the project development:
D-LAB prototype development. The core components of the platform will be defined here. These components are the standard, reusable components of the platform. Together with the platform development, the Consortium will also define guidelines for the development of an end-user interface for POCT medical equipment, as this is a critical issue for the acceptability of the D-LAB platform by non-specialised operators (non-laboratory staff).
D-LAB Pilots set-up. Two different demonstrators will be settled in the context of the project. They will be used to carry out a real field assessment of the platform as well as to better identify customisation activities and quantify them. They will also be used to assess two different organisational paradigms for the management of the clinical test services D-LAB Pilots running. The two Pilots will be operated for a given period of time in Italy and Greece.
D-LAB prototype refinement. Additional requirements on the platform will be produced. Set-up and coordination of a User Group. Sector experts, external to the project, will be involved in the evaluation of the D-LAB approach.
Management related activities. Project management and quality assurance will cover the whole project life cycle.
Dissemination and Exploitation:
This includes the activities to increase awareness and consensus on the project and on the preparation of the business scenario.
Milestones:
Month 6: Requirements and System specification completed.
Month 14: First prototype of the Virtual Laboratory platform.
Month 16: Start of piloting activity.
Month 22: End of Validation, Refined prototype.
Month 24: End of the project, Business plan, Final report.
The Pastille project has identified the political and social context of sustainability indicator sets as being central to their efficacy. In order to achieve the goals of sustainable development, it is not sufficient just to create and adopt an indicator set. A far deeper and more complex understanding of the institution concerned is required, together with an honest appraisal of the political dimension and of the structures of local urban governance. The project's results do not offer simple solutions to practitioners but rather they emphasise the importance of a thorough understanding of the complex and varied issues surrounding indicators. The specific interactive research phase originally envisaged, was modified into a much more fluid process between all the consortium members. Thus, throughout the lifetime of the project there was a constant exchange of knowledge, which resulted in a far more self-reflexive and iterative process.
Fields of science
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
41100 MODENA
Italy