Periodic Reporting for period 2 - INCAREHEART (Pre-commercial Procurement of innovative ICT-enabled integrated care solutions to advance multidisciplinary health and care for patients with chronic heart failure)
Reporting period: 2022-02-01 to 2025-03-31
Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) is a major health challenge in Europe, affecting over 15 million people and leading to high mortality, frequent hospitalisations, and significant healthcare costs. It is particularly prevalent among older adults and is one of the leading causes of unplanned hospital admissions. Despite its prevalence, care for CHF remains fragmented, with limited innovation in integrated care models.
The INCAREHEART project was launched by five European regions—Jämtland in Sweden, Amadora in Portugal, Campania in Italy, Central Macedonia in Greece, and Türkiye—with the shared goal of transforming CHF care through a digital, integrated approach. The project aimed to develop an ICT-enabled solution that supports a fully integrated, multidisciplinary care pathway. This involved capturing the needs of patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, defining technical and legal requirements, and engaging suppliers through a structured Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) process.
The overarching objective was to improve patient outcomes, enhance collaboration among care providers, and reduce healthcare costs by addressing gaps in care coordination and enabling proactive, patient-centred care.
The INCAREHEART project was launched by five European regions—Jämtland in Sweden, Amadora in Portugal, Campania in Italy, Central Macedonia in Greece, and Türkiye—with the shared goal of transforming CHF care through a digital, integrated approach. The project aimed to develop an ICT-enabled solution that supports a fully integrated, multidisciplinary care pathway. This involved capturing the needs of patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, defining technical and legal requirements, and engaging suppliers through a structured Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) process.
The overarching objective was to improve patient outcomes, enhance collaboration among care providers, and reduce healthcare costs by addressing gaps in care coordination and enabling proactive, patient-centred care.
The PCP process was central to the project’s innovation strategy and unfolded in three phases. In Phase I, five suppliers were selected to design initial concepts based on the system requirements developed with input from stakeholders. These requirements covered functionality, usability, legal compliance, and sustainability. In Phase II, three of these suppliers advanced to develop and test prototypes. Finally, in Phase III, two solutions—CareCardia and CORRAL—were chosen to further develop and pilot their solutions in real-world settings across four pilot sites. CareCardia, led by Gnomon Informatics SA, integrates remote monitoring, artificial intelligence, and interoperable systems into a user-friendly platform that supports emotional wellbeing and seamless communication between patients and care providers.
CORRAL, led by CERTH, focuses on continuous monitoring of physical, psychological, and environmental factors, using AI to support clinical decision-making and personalised education for self-care.
Both platforms include shared digital care plans, decision support systems, patient empowerment tools, integration with electronic health records, and real-time data sharing. They also support medication management, weekly care summaries, and analytics to assess care quality and efficiency. The solutions were tested in real-life settings across five pilot sites. Participants were divided between the two platforms, and data was collected through surveys, questionnaires, and system logs. The pilot trials demonstrated promising results. Patients using both solutions experienced improved health outcomes, with many moving to less severe stages of CHF. CORRAL users showed better weight control and self-care behaviours, while CareCardia users reported improved daily life and emotional support. Healthcare professionals appreciated both systems, with a slight preference for CareCardia due to its smoother integration into existing workflows. However, older adults and those with lower digital literacy faced challenges, highlighting the need for accessible design and clearer instructions.
Economic assessments revealed that the solutions could be cost-effective. In Portugal and Italy, reduced hospital visits and increased patient engagement led to financial savings. Sweden showed high long-term savings potential despite technical setup challenges. Türkiye saw fewer short-term savings but promising long-term benefits. Across all sites, avoiding just one hospitalisation per patient per year could make the system financially sustainable. Both CareCardia and CORRAL teams began preparing business plans to continue offering their solutions beyond the project’s duration, crediting INCAREHEART with helping them advance toward market readiness.
The project also placed strong emphasis on dissemination and stakeholder engagement. The INCAREHEART website attracted over 22,000 visitors and served as a central hub for information. Social media, particularly LinkedIn, was used to share updates and promote events. The Open Pilot Day in Thessaloniki provided an opportunity for healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public to see the solutions in action. The project collaborated with other EU initiatives such as CareMatrix, ROSIA, and eCare, and formed an Observing Procurers Board to share insights with external public health authorities. These efforts helped raise awareness and build momentum for future adoption.
CORRAL, led by CERTH, focuses on continuous monitoring of physical, psychological, and environmental factors, using AI to support clinical decision-making and personalised education for self-care.
Both platforms include shared digital care plans, decision support systems, patient empowerment tools, integration with electronic health records, and real-time data sharing. They also support medication management, weekly care summaries, and analytics to assess care quality and efficiency. The solutions were tested in real-life settings across five pilot sites. Participants were divided between the two platforms, and data was collected through surveys, questionnaires, and system logs. The pilot trials demonstrated promising results. Patients using both solutions experienced improved health outcomes, with many moving to less severe stages of CHF. CORRAL users showed better weight control and self-care behaviours, while CareCardia users reported improved daily life and emotional support. Healthcare professionals appreciated both systems, with a slight preference for CareCardia due to its smoother integration into existing workflows. However, older adults and those with lower digital literacy faced challenges, highlighting the need for accessible design and clearer instructions.
Economic assessments revealed that the solutions could be cost-effective. In Portugal and Italy, reduced hospital visits and increased patient engagement led to financial savings. Sweden showed high long-term savings potential despite technical setup challenges. Türkiye saw fewer short-term savings but promising long-term benefits. Across all sites, avoiding just one hospitalisation per patient per year could make the system financially sustainable. Both CareCardia and CORRAL teams began preparing business plans to continue offering their solutions beyond the project’s duration, crediting INCAREHEART with helping them advance toward market readiness.
The project also placed strong emphasis on dissemination and stakeholder engagement. The INCAREHEART website attracted over 22,000 visitors and served as a central hub for information. Social media, particularly LinkedIn, was used to share updates and promote events. The Open Pilot Day in Thessaloniki provided an opportunity for healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public to see the solutions in action. The project collaborated with other EU initiatives such as CareMatrix, ROSIA, and eCare, and formed an Observing Procurers Board to share insights with external public health authorities. These efforts helped raise awareness and build momentum for future adoption.
The INCAREHEART project has advanced the state of the art in the digital management of chronic heart failure (CHF) through the co-design, development, and piloting of two comprehensive ICT-enabled solutions: CORRAL and CareCardia. Unlike existing tools that often address isolated aspects of care, these platforms offer a multidimensional approach by integrating continuous monitoring, AI-driven risk detection, personalised care planning, behavioural support, and seamless communication between patients and multidisciplinary care teams. Their successful pilot deployment across five European healthcare systems demonstrated both adaptability and high user acceptance, including among older adults and individuals with limited digital literacy. The outcomes of the pilot phase indicate significant potential for improving clinical parameters such as NYHA classification, quality of life, self-care behaviours, and physical activity. Patients reported increased confidence, empowerment, and satisfaction, while healthcare professionals noted enhanced engagement and usability. Compared to other digital CHF interventions, INCAREHEART’s solutions stand out for their functional breadth, depth, and integration, representing a mature, scalable intervention model that enables proactive, patient-centred care in real-world settings.
To support suppliers and procurers beyond the project’s lifetime, INCAREHEART has launched a post-project collaboration roadmap. This initiative aims to sustain stakeholder engagement, further refine the solutions, and explore implementation pathways in real-world settings. In this regard, a socio-economic impact assessment revealed that potential impacts and returns on investment (ROI) are likely to vary across countries due to differing healthcare contexts, cost structures, patient populations, and implementation strategies. These findings underscore the importance of tailored scale-up strategies, including addressing integration challenges, adapting policies, investing in infrastructure, and promoting cross-country learning for optimised deployment.
To ensure the long-term value of integrated care solutions like those developed in INCAREHEART, the consortium recommends continuous monitoring of real-world outcomes through systematic tracking. Implementation strategies should prioritise stakeholder engagement, readiness assessments, and comprehensive training. Emphasising patient-centred outcomes is essential. Additionally, securing sustainable funding and anticipating technological evolution are critical for maintaining effectiveness and ensuring integration into routine care.
To support suppliers and procurers beyond the project’s lifetime, INCAREHEART has launched a post-project collaboration roadmap. This initiative aims to sustain stakeholder engagement, further refine the solutions, and explore implementation pathways in real-world settings. In this regard, a socio-economic impact assessment revealed that potential impacts and returns on investment (ROI) are likely to vary across countries due to differing healthcare contexts, cost structures, patient populations, and implementation strategies. These findings underscore the importance of tailored scale-up strategies, including addressing integration challenges, adapting policies, investing in infrastructure, and promoting cross-country learning for optimised deployment.
To ensure the long-term value of integrated care solutions like those developed in INCAREHEART, the consortium recommends continuous monitoring of real-world outcomes through systematic tracking. Implementation strategies should prioritise stakeholder engagement, readiness assessments, and comprehensive training. Emphasising patient-centred outcomes is essential. Additionally, securing sustainable funding and anticipating technological evolution are critical for maintaining effectiveness and ensuring integration into routine care.