Abstract
This abstract is part of the ROSIA EU project, funded by EU H2020. We would like to acknowledge the collaboration of all colleagues who participated in this project.
Background: Rehabilitation reduces disability, economic burden, and improves quality of life. Healthcare systems face combined challenges of limited resources and increasing demand for rehabilitation and healthcare services. Rehabilitation is a basic human right, yet many people with disabilities cannot access it, limiting their equal and full participation in society. These challenges are more pronounced in remote and isolated countries areas, where the proportion of older people is higher and distances for accessing healthcare services greater. Technology has the potential to transform rehabilitation by revolutionising service delivery.
ROSIA (Remote Rehabilitation Service for Isolated Areas) is a pre-commercial procurement (PCP) creating a co-produced Innovation Ecosystem, by generating a scalable model of Integrated care, organised around tele-rehabilitation and supported self-management of care.
Approach:
ROSIA project design is structured in three key phases:
Phase 1 - Design of ROSIA’s model based on evidence informed iterative work of co-creation with patients, clinicians and technical partners. (Completed)
Phase 2 - Prototype Development of three proposed solutions selected from Phase 1, including clinicians and patients input. (Completed)
Phase 3 - Development and field testing of the completed solution by the three public procurers – the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Ireland, Servicio Aragonés de Salud in Spain and Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra in Portugal. (On – going)
As a PCP Project, ROSIA engaged multiple suppliers in parallel to a research and development (R&D) competition to foster innovation and compare alternative solutions. Through this competitive process, ROSIA awarded two solutions, RAISE and REHABILIFY to proceed and be tested in Phase 3. Healthcare professionals' consultation as our PPI group was very crucial. RAISE and REHABILIFY are two integrated open platforms, that includes a catalogue of apps and services, that are going to be validated during a pilot study from November 2024 to July 2025 in the three procurers' organisations. The validation of the applicability of the solution will be to the seven different pathologies.
Results: During the pilot study we will evaluate the feasibility, usability, and acceptability of two integrated solution platforms within the existing care pathway for patients with various diagnoses and diverse levels of disability. This study seeks to understand the perspectives and satisfaction levels of patients, informal carers, and healthcare professionals. Anticipated data from this pilot will provide valuable insights into the resources, processes, and organisational changes necessary to effectively implement this innovative telerehabilitation care pathway. Findings from the study will be regularly presented to the PPI group for consultation and feedback.
Implications: Hopefully, ROSIA will show that telerehabilitation is not just a concept but a reality. This project aims to deliver interoperable solutions validated by end users across the three participating public ‘procurer’ countries. Additionally, the innovation procurement is expected to yield insights valuable to an international audience. By sharing the lessons learned across the three ROSIA phases, we hope to contribute to future R&D efforts.