Periodic Reporting for period 3 - DIH-HERO (Digital Innovation Hubs in Healthcare Robotics)
Reporting period: 2021-07-01 to 2023-12-31
The route for embedding medical innovations in clinical practice is tough, time-consuming and requires substantial investments. It involves clinical testing, developing efficient production methods, reaching investors, establishing a company and handling distribution, just to mention a few steps. Furthermore, multiple actors are working on various innovations in robotics. The major objective of the DIH-HERO project (Digital Innovation Hubs in Healthcare Robotics) is to establish a broad-based pan-European network of Digital Innovation Hubs specialized in Healthcare Robotics. The network focuses on providing services which connect business and healthcare stakeholders in developing innovative products and services for the healthcare market. It is aimed to establish channels between healthcare and technology providers that reduce barriers to adoption and create strong mutual understanding between robotics technology innovators and healthcare professionals. Each hub within DIH-HERO follows the ambition to deliver both technical and medical expertise through their pre-existing operational relationships with hospitals and healthcare facilities. This initiative unites expertise in business development, access to finance and innovation to robotics technology and healthcare expertise in a network of hubs that will connect and stimulate robotics innovation in all aspects of healthcare. Through this, the platform will significantly leverage added value throughout the entire value chain in the healthcare ecosystem, by sharing knowledge, connecting the right stakeholders and stimulating tailored investments. In addition, DIH-HERO is built on concrete plans to sustain the network beyond the time span of the project and to provide a long-term network for innovators in healthcare. The network of Digital Innovation Hubs will make a real difference through accelerating robotics innovation in healthcare, supporting SMEs and slightly larger companies to develop global reach and propagating the advantages of robotics-based healthcare across Europe, striving to bring excellent products and services to the market, to the best benefit of the end-consumer - the patient.
The activities performed from the start of the project can be summarised as follows:
Connectivity
• Capturing knowledge and insights establishing the required portal specifications for partners, associate partners, and the
broad public
• Strengthening and growing of network connections in the local hubs as well as on European level
• Developing the specifications, structure and labelling of information captured within the catalogues
• Assessing the added value of the portal modules and catalogues as well as the connectivity created on various levels
• Specification and implementation of the knowledge base
• Establishing multiple clinical connections and analysing their needs as well as the barriers in regard to clinical
deployment
Dissemination
• Development and Implementation as well as continuous dynamic adjustment of communications concept focusing on digital tools
• Disseminating various activities and benefits of the DIH-HERO network, via multiple communication channels and tools
• Organisation of webinars, events and knowledge conferences
Services
• Capturing and categorising the needs of the EU healthcare ecosystem and state-of-play
• Building, maintaining and growing the service directory, organising services webinars and launching interactive tool on ethics and safety
• Creating an overview of reimbursement of healthcare robotics in Europe for the knowledge base and facilitating knowledge transfer
FSTP
• Development and continuous improvement of the FSTP call handling platform and setting up procedures for call implementation, management, and evaluation
• Facilitating brokerage and matchmaking as well as clinical deployment
• Awarding, Monitoring and Coaching of 85 innovation projects for healthcare robotics
• Awarding of 129 projects and vouchers in total, creating more than 750 connections via FSTP
Sustainability
• Assessing of different business models, based on field research, several design thinking events and in dept comparative analyses in relevant industries
• Developing of a sustainable business model and implementation of a the business plan
• Identifying value propositions for various stakeholders
Portal Development
• Defining of the structure and taxonomies of the different DIH-HERO portal catalogues
• Developing, extending and continuously improving the DIH-HERO catalogues, directories, tools and modules available within the DIH-HERO portal.
Standards
• Developing a questionnaire on the industry-led standards and best practises and conducting interviews
• Sharing best practices of the recommended and efficient use of industry-led standards, also for certification of healthcare robotics and its software (published via the knowledge base)
• Organising webinars with experts from the field supporting SMEs
• Contributions to the expected impact on „Introduction of cross-industry-based standards for modules and systems”:
• Developing a standards tool and directory
Management
• Setting up a communication and collaboration structures and procedures
• Collaborating with several European initiatives and participation in different working groups
• Collaborating with the EC
Connectivity
• Capturing knowledge and insights establishing the required portal specifications for partners, associate partners, and the
broad public
• Strengthening and growing of network connections in the local hubs as well as on European level
• Developing the specifications, structure and labelling of information captured within the catalogues
• Assessing the added value of the portal modules and catalogues as well as the connectivity created on various levels
• Specification and implementation of the knowledge base
• Establishing multiple clinical connections and analysing their needs as well as the barriers in regard to clinical
deployment
Dissemination
• Development and Implementation as well as continuous dynamic adjustment of communications concept focusing on digital tools
• Disseminating various activities and benefits of the DIH-HERO network, via multiple communication channels and tools
• Organisation of webinars, events and knowledge conferences
Services
• Capturing and categorising the needs of the EU healthcare ecosystem and state-of-play
• Building, maintaining and growing the service directory, organising services webinars and launching interactive tool on ethics and safety
• Creating an overview of reimbursement of healthcare robotics in Europe for the knowledge base and facilitating knowledge transfer
FSTP
• Development and continuous improvement of the FSTP call handling platform and setting up procedures for call implementation, management, and evaluation
• Facilitating brokerage and matchmaking as well as clinical deployment
• Awarding, Monitoring and Coaching of 85 innovation projects for healthcare robotics
• Awarding of 129 projects and vouchers in total, creating more than 750 connections via FSTP
Sustainability
• Assessing of different business models, based on field research, several design thinking events and in dept comparative analyses in relevant industries
• Developing of a sustainable business model and implementation of a the business plan
• Identifying value propositions for various stakeholders
Portal Development
• Defining of the structure and taxonomies of the different DIH-HERO portal catalogues
• Developing, extending and continuously improving the DIH-HERO catalogues, directories, tools and modules available within the DIH-HERO portal.
Standards
• Developing a questionnaire on the industry-led standards and best practises and conducting interviews
• Sharing best practices of the recommended and efficient use of industry-led standards, also for certification of healthcare robotics and its software (published via the knowledge base)
• Organising webinars with experts from the field supporting SMEs
• Contributions to the expected impact on „Introduction of cross-industry-based standards for modules and systems”:
• Developing a standards tool and directory
Management
• Setting up a communication and collaboration structures and procedures
• Collaborating with several European initiatives and participation in different working groups
• Collaborating with the EC
By establishing a broad-based pan-European innovation and collaboration platform for healthcare robotics, the DIH-HERO network made a valuable contribution towards increasing the deployment of robotics in the healthcare application domains by connecting the different stakeholders across the value chain and enabling innovators, and SMEs, to successfully develop and introduce products to the market. Furthermore, SME cross-border certification is facilitated through offering access to industry-led standards, best practices, ELSE knowhow, and a knowledge base accessible via the central European DIH-HERO portal. This way, SMEs are supported and can increase their knowledge of standards and the essential but time-consuming certification processes. Regarding the economic impact of DIH-HERO the platform reduces the time-to-market of new innovations in healthcare robotics significantly. This is achieved by offering various services and accelerating European collaboration. By building up and continuously expanding the DIH-HERO services and standardisation directory as well as constantly developing and integrating different elements in the platform, such as organisation, person, project and services catalogues, a knowledge database and brokerage module, DIH-HERO has nad will continuously create a sustainable "one-stop-shop" platform boosting collaboration, innovation in the sector. In addition, DIH-HERO not only offered financial support to innovative SMEs and slightly larger companies, but also support through innovation coaching to stimulate an entrepreneurial mindset and to create and empower innovative ecosystems to start-up new businesses around the platform. In addition, existing companies were supported in scaling up, which in turn raises the productivity and competitiveness of European companies. Furthermore, market entry barriers for new robotic innovations are reduced through educating both healthcare professionals and patients and building trust and creating clinical connections.