The Novo Nordisk Foundation has awarded grants totalling more than DKK 5.6 million for six new research projects aiming to create new knowledge that can contribute to integrated care pathways for patients in Denmark’s healthcare system.
The grants have been awarded to researchers in Aarhus, Odense, Vejle and other towns.
In one project, a research group comprising Prehospital Emergency Medical Services in the Central Denmark Region, the Aarhus General Practice Research Group and Digital Design and Information Studies at Aarhus University will focus on people in frequent contact with the emergency medical services. People who are acutely ill need help that is timely and of high quality, regardless of whether the services are provided by their general practitioner, the out-of-hours medical helpline or the emergency services 112 call centre.
The emergency medical services must ensure rapid diagnosis, treatment and possibly transport to a hospital. However, this system is complex and involves several units, professions and technologies across sectors, and the emergency medical services face recognised challenges in establishing integrated care pathways. In the project, the research group will use citizens’ experiences to outline factors that contribute to these pathways. The aim is to provide insight into how the emergency medical services can potentially be optimised to benefit people.
In another project, researchers at Lillebælt Hospital in Vejle will develop a newly tailored treatment model for people who have cancer and a comorbid mental disorder. Having cancer can exacerbate these people’s mental symptoms and hinder optimal treatment. In addition, healthcare professionals may feel that they lack the necessary competencies to adequately assist patients with their challenges or to involve professionals in other sectors. In the project, clinicians, researchers and experts in oncology, general practice, psychiatry and municipal health services will carry out research interviews and clinical observation involving patients and relatives to elucidate patients’ needs and barriers to care. The project group will then use workshops to jointly design a new care model with all the groups involved.
The six grants are part of the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s focus on Coherence in Health Care, through which the Foundation aims to support cross-sectoral research that facilitates the creation and greater integration of care pathways for patients in Denmark’s healthcare system.
“Patient care in Denmark is becoming increasingly complex because it is spread over many sectors and increasingly integrates various digital health technologies into the existing pathways. New knowledge on how to optimally organise care pathways is required, and we are therefore very pleased to be supporting these six promising projects that have the potential to create new knowledge to benefit both the healthcare sector and patients,” says Niels-Henrik von Holstein-Rathlou, Senior Vice President, Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Novo Nordisk Foundation.
New application round for major grants opening soon
Coherence in Health Care is a strategic focus area for the Foundation. The Foundation plans to open a new application round that will enable applicants to apply for grants of up to DKK 6 million per project for up to 4 years for major research projects focusing on integrated care pathways. The application round is expected to open in early 2022. Read more here.
The six projects
Grant recipient: University of Southern Denmark, Odense
Main applicant: Maja Bertram
Grant amount: DKK 1,000,000
Project title: Living Well with Aphasia – Creating a Sustainable and Coherent Care Pathway for Families Living with Aphasia
Grant recipient: Regional Hospital Central Jutland, Viborg, Silkeborg, Hammel, Skive
Main applicant: Camilla Blach Rossen
Grant amount: DKK 980,357
Project title: Patient-driven Digital Data Sharing as a Tool for Facilitating Coherence and Collaboration in Cross-sectoral Patient Pathways
Grant recipient: Aarhus University
Main applicant: Viola Burau
Grant amount: DKK 999,374
Project title: Exploring New Models of Organising Integrated Health Care Access for Vulnerable People
Grant recipient: Aarhus University
Main applicant: Iben Duvald
Grant amount: DKK 996,055
Project title: Improving and Evaluating a New Cross-sectoral In-home Hospital Treatment Model for Elderly Acute Ill Patients – the Initial Exploratory Part
Grant recipient: Lillebælt Hospital, Vejle
Main applicant: Dorte Gilså Hansen
Grant amount: DKK 667,695
Project title: The Outreach Study: Minimising Social Inequality in Cancer by Co-designing a Shared Care Model Tailored to Patients with a Mental Illness
Grant recipient: Prehospital Emergency Medical Services, Central Denmark Region, Aarhus
Main applicant: Ulla Væggemose
Grant amount: DKK 994,352
Project title: Acute Health Care System for Citizens; How is Acute Treatment Pathway Experienced by Citizens
Further information
Henriette Balslev, Project Manager, +45 3067 4822, [email protected]
Christian Mostrup, Senior Programme Lead, +45 3067 4805, [email protected]
