Maintaining access to regular health and care services in case of cross-border emergencies

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, health and care systems have been facing unprecedented challenges. Many systems were overwhelmed and fell short on available supplies, staff, and critical infrastructure. Beyond the initial challenges posed by the pandemic, its prolonged duration has strained health and care facilities and providers, and had a negative impact on regular health and care provision. Disruptions in routine and non-emergency medical care access and delivery have been observed. It is hence timely to take stock and identify lessons for maintaining care delivery.

Another recent emergency situation that has had a great impact on health and care systems is the war in Ukraine and the resulting migration to bordering countries. Also under these circumstances, it is important to have the right tools for maintaining access to regular health and care services, while also accommodating the more urgent needs of migrants, for example.

The goal is to be better prepared for the multiple challenges faced by health and care systems during emergencies, and ensure that necessary access to regular health and care services can be maintained.

Proposals for research and innovation should focus on health and care systems, and actions are expected to address several of the following:

• Analysis and evaluation of different epidemics or other emergencies response measures in Member States and Associated Countries aimed at maintaining access to regular health and care services. Cost studies on not maintaining access to health and care services during cross-border emergencies.
• Development of innovative tools and models for maintaining access to regular health and care services during cross-border emergencies – for example developing modelling and foresight tools to assess and anticipate impact of cross-border emergencies on regular health and care delivery; developing novel technical solutions or organisational management models, including training, for regular care delivery in future cross-border emergencies; demonstrating applicability of novel modelling tools, management frameworks and organisational models in selected areas of regular health and care services (e.g. chronic diseases, mental health disorders, trauma care).
• Development and implementation of digital tools and of effective communication strategies based on digital health literacy studies – for example developing, implementing and generating evidence of benefit of novel digital systems connecting health and care professionals, citizens and patients at-scale, helping maintain access to health and care services during emergencies (including but not limited to smart appointment management, chronic disease self-management applications, primary care and/or referral caseload prioritisation and management incl. triage, increasing clinical practice efficiency, management of health care professionals’ caseload, integrated telecare suites complemented by new computational methods such as AI/machine learning, etc.).

This topic requires the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities. Interdisciplinary research is thus encouraged, including the involvement of SSH disciplines considered essential for health and care planning and delivery in different social contexts and for the evaluation of health economical aspects.

All projects funded under this topic are strongly encouraged to participate in networking and joint activities, as appropriate. Therefore, proposals should include a budget for the attendance to regular joint meetings and may consider covering the costs of any other potential joint activities without the prerequisite to detail concrete joint activities at this stage. The details of these joint activities will be defined during the grant agreement preparation phase.

Synergies should be sought with potentially complementary research initiatives, data stewards, custodians and research infrastructures such as the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the Population Health Information Research Infrastructure, the future European co-funded partnerships[[ https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/european-partnerships-horizon-europe/candidates-european-partnerships-health_en]], such as the partnership on Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS), and relevant EU health policy initiatives such as the European Health Data Space (EHDS)[[ https://ec.europa.eu/health/ehealth-digital-health-and-care/european-health-data-space_en]] and the nascent Health Emergency Response Authority (HERA)[[ COM(2021) 576 final]].

Applicants envisaging to include clinical studies should provide details of their clinical studies in the dedicated annex using the template provided in the submission system. See definition of clinical studies in the introduction to this work programme part.