Openwork is also among the project's technological partners.
In recent days, testing began on "CONTACT ," an acronym for Cooperation and Integration of Clinical Trials and Care Pathways . This major e-health funded by the Region as part of Innonetwork (a program that promotes the creation of public-private technology partnerships for the development of innovative solutions on a regional scale), for the remote management and monitoring of patients with Multiple Sclerosis .
It is a digital platform that allows the healthcare facility to manage the clinical pathway of patients , specifically managing treatment processes , sharing information and related documentation and monitoring patients remotely throughout the diagnostic and therapeutic pathway.
A scientifically, clinically and technologically relevant project
"The Contact project partnership, consisting of leading regional ICT companies, the Polytechnic University of Bari, and the IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza," explained Piero Cosoli, project coordinator , "represents a virtuous example of a regional system collaborating to promote and adopt the most modern ICT technologies. The partnership itself is a knowledge pipeline for the development of solutions in the strategic area of citizen well-being and health."
THE ROLE OF PATIENTS
After a brief training period and equipped with the necessary technological equipment connected to the network, patients will measure their vital signs, such as blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, and sleep quality, directly from home; all recorded using a standard smart bracelet .
These values are then sent, via an app installed on the patient's phone , to a digital platform accessible remotely by doctors and healthcare professionals involved in the treatment process.
REMOTE MONITORING
Following enrollment, patients, assigned to specific treatment plans tailored to their current drug regimen, will be monitored and supported remotely for the entire duration of the trial, including through chat or video calls with their physician. This will allow hospital staff to monitor patient adherence to the prescriptions and make any necessary adjustments to the treatment, based on identified needs.
THE DEDICATED APP
A key role in the platform is played by the dedicated app that the patient must install on their smartphone . It retrieves and transmits data to and from the platform, sends reminder notifications for activities to be completed, and manages the teleconsultation during the time slot agreed upon between the patient and healthcare provider.
"By orchestrating the various systems, the platform will facilitate adherence and monitoring of the treatment pathway for MS patients treated at our Center," explained Maurizio Leone, head of the Neurology Unit at IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza . "Furthermore, by collecting and submitting data, values, and measurements, patients become active participants in the management of their treatment and clinical trials. Through the constant monitoring of certain biological parameters, with the essential input of patients, we will be able to modulate and improve the treatment pathway, adapting it to the different needs of each individual."
THE PROJECT PARTNERS
CONTACT is a project to which eight Apulian partners , including startups, companies, and public and private research institutions. The IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza in San Giovanni Rotondo—a healthcare facility created and inaugurated by Padre Pio on May 5, 1956—is the clinical partner that developed the digital platform's requirements and initiated the trial by involving patients and healthcare professionals.
The other 7 project partners are:
• Openwork srl ., Bari, project leader, IT company specialized in the development of Business Process Management solutions
• Sincon srl , Taranto, IT company dedicated to the development of digital solutions for public administration and healthcare companies
• SER & Practices srl , Bari, company specialized in telemedicine and the development of digital solutions that involve the use of IoT devices
• Euronet srl , Grottaglie (TA), company dedicated to the development of IoT solutions
• Informatica e Telecommunications I-tel srl , specialized in the development of telemedicine solutions and, in particular, mobile applications for e-Health
• Politecnico di Bari , Bari, with units involved in CONTACT in the sector of Adaptive Case Management methodologies and Big Data analysis
• Golem Plus srl , Bari
