Researchers from the Wrocław University of Science and Technology are co-creating a platform for telemedicine services to facilitate access to health services for people aged 60+. Pilot studies will be conducted until the end of 2023. Funding for the project of over PLN 2 million was granted under the Norwegian Funds.

“The project is a combination of current medical needs, the current situation in healthcare and the needs of society in terms of access to medicine. It is aimed at people 60+, as our society is ageing and the issue of medical services for this age group is becoming a key issue”, says Dr Grzegorz Kołaczek of Wrocław University of Science and Technology.

“Imagine we have a monitoring device that continuously transmits data on our vital signs when we are at home. The doctor, who has constant access to them, can notice any alarming signals and react accordingly, even before we ourselves start to feel unwell. This can protect us from a crisis situation or significantly influence, for example, the effectiveness of the therapy provided”, explains the scientist.

The project will involve 520 patients, at least half of whom will be women. The participants will include people from so-called excluded areas, where the barrier to contacting a doctor is the small number of POZ (basic healthcare centres) and, as a result, the need for long commuting to specialists.

The leader of the project consortium is the 4th Military Clinical Hospital in Wrocław. The platform will be prepared by the technology partner, and primary healthcare units from Lower Silesia and Greater Poland will be responsible for patient care.

Telemedicine is the provision of medical services combining elements of telecommunications, IT and medicine. It is linked to clinical services and, thanks to the use of modern technology, allows the exchange of specialised information in real time.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński