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SUCCESSFUL FINAL CONFERENCE

The final conference of the RELIEF project took place as a virtual event on March 17. Over 50 attendees could know main results and conclusions obtained during the development of this 4-year project in which the consortium has worked to find solutions for the self-management of chronic pain through the implementation of a Pre-Commercial Procurement process (PCP).

The objectives of the event were:
    - inform about the PCP instrument, and how the European Commission is supporting it
    - present the two solutions developed in the RELIEF project and how they will be commercialized
    - analyse the conclusions from the field-testing carried out in the three countries (Spain, France, and Sweden)
    - promote the discussion about good practices and lessons learnt from the PCP process

The conference started with the presentation of Orestis Kalliantzidis of the Directorate‑General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG Connect) of European Commission who explained the call under which RELIEF was selected, as well as preliminary lessons learned from early H2020 PCPs in healthcare and the experience acquired in subsequent calls.
Ana Muñiz from Jaggaer, as coordinator of the project, has presented an overview of the PCP project execution and results.
The two companies participating in phase 3 of the RELIEF PCP have explained the solutions for the self-management of pain at the conclusion of the field trials. Antonis Billis, R&D Manager at Gnomon Informatics of Thessaloniki, Greece, presented the Epione mobile app, and Carlos Chiatti, Chairman of Tech4Care srl, of Ancona, Italy, presented the VR-Relief mobile app. The two applications go forward to commercialization. Representatives of both companies also described their plans for the commercialization of the solutions.
Speaking on behalf of the RELIEF buyer group, Louis Potel, José Carlos Prieto Baena and Rolf Karlsten presented results and conclusions of the field testing at sites in France, Spain and Sweden. These trials were conducted over three steps: local adaptation of the apps, local pilot tests and clinical studies. The field tests found little difference in the performance of the Epione and VR-Relief apps. The functionalities most highly rated by patients were the ability to monitor activities and sleeping patterns, and self-management maintenance techniques and training recommendations. Physicians valued the information that the app provided about patients before a first visit.

Best practices in PCP

At the end of the event the speakers moderated by Orestis Kalliantzidis, engaged in a round table discussion on the lessons learnt from the RELIEF PCP and best practices to carry forward. They stressed the differences between a PCP and a more conventional tender process, which requires more effort up front in the open market consultation, “Phase 0” of the project, when needs are defined. Procurers recommended working more intensely with fewer suppliers in Phase 1 (feasibility) and Phase 2 (prototype development), as the requirement to provide all information to all suppliers on a fair and equal basis is extremely demanding.
All panellists agreed in the view that field testing and clinical studies should only be conducted when the prototypes have been fully tested and any technical issues resolved. The third phase of future PCPs should instead be used for more intense co-creation of the solutions and collaboration between buyers and contractors prior to clinical studies.

Download the full presentation.
Access to the conference recording.

After 4 years working in the design and implementation of a Pre-Commercial Procurement process (PCP) with the aim of defining an eHealth solution for chronic pain patients, the RELIEF project, funded by the Horizon Europe program, organize the RELIEF Final Conference.

Chronic non-cancer pain of moderate to severe intensity occurs in 19% of adult Europeans, seriously affecting the quality of their social and working lives. Among these 19%, very few are managed by pain specialists and nearly half receive inadequate pain management. It is proven that patients with chronic illness need support as well as access to information in order to become effective managers of their own health.

Although there was a wide range of high-tech devices aimed at treating pain in its many facets and complexity, none of them were focused on empowering the patient to self-manage current and future pains. RELIEF has been working from 2016 in filling in this gap by managing a tender to develop new products that empower the patient and improve their quality of life.

Main results and achievements got during the project execution will be presented by the DG CONNECT, the Buyer Group (Resah-France, IMIBIC-Spain and Akademiska sjukhuset-Sweden) and the contractors (Gnomon Informatics S.A.-Greece, Tech4Care-Italy and miThings AB-Sweden).

PROGRAM
REGISTRATION

WHY ATTEND THE FINAL CONFERENCE?

By attending the Final RELIEF Conference, you will be informed about main results and achievements get during the project execution. Participate and:

       Be informed about how the European Commission face the PCP instrument for the coming period
       Know the two solutions developed in the RELIEF project and how they will be commercialized
       Know the analysis and conclusions from the field-testing carried out in the three countries (Spain,
        France, and Sweden)
       Be part of the discussion about good practices and lessons learnt from the PCP process

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

       Public procurers: Health Institutions and other Health National/Regional Public Bodies
       Private Health institutions
       Companies or organizations interested in participating in a PCP process, especially those related to eHealth
       Association of patients and health organizations
       Healthcare industry and associations
       Policy makers at European and national levels
       Related projects and initiatives

PROGRAM
Download the program HERE

HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE?
So easy! By clicking HERE

The RELIEF project has been included in the Special Feature dedicated to chronic pain published in the CORDIS RESEARCH*EU (February 2020 #89).

Please, find the whole article here (pages 5 and 6 Special Feature section):

Last 17th October 2019 our Lead Procurer, Mr. Louis Potel, attended the Cross-border innovation procurement in health event organized in Brussels (Belgium).
The event was organized by the European Commission’s Directorates-General for Research and Innovation (RTD) and for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (CNECT).
Designing, procuring and deploying innovative solutions is an important component of every public sector modernisation strategy, especially in the health and care sector. However, the EU health service providers face many challenges,
such as funding, a fragmented legal framework, lack of common standards or interoperability and varying user/patient preferences across the European Union.
The workshop aims to attract a relevant and representative audience (procurers, potential suppliers, regions or umbrella organisations and regulators) to discuss how such challenges can be addressed through existing EU Innovation Procurement instruments in the area of health, such as Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) and Public Procurement of Innovative solutions (PPI).
RELIEF was invited to present the main project progresses as well as to share lessons learnt until now.
It was a good opportunity to contribute to the improvement of this public instrument who could have great impact on European citizens.

Relief Phase 3 Kick-off meeting was held on the 9th of April in Uppsala (Sweden) with the two awarded contractors.
After a welcome speech there was a general overview focusing on the objectives and calendar, followed by a presentation of the application process in each country.
There was an analysis of the focus local adaptation, pilot test and field testing as well as a bilateral presentation and discussion with each contractor in order to present the factors to succeed with phase 3.

Continue informed by visiting our website.

RELIEF Phase 2 Kick-off meeting was held on the 27th April in Paris (France) with the 4 awarded contractors. The Kick-off meeting was organized by GIP RESAH, the RELIEF Lead Procurer.
After a first session with practical information regarding monitoring and communication protocols of Phase2, each contractor had a bilateral meeting with the buyers so as to present their plans for executing Phase 2 projects.
All doubts and questions were solved and gathered in a Q&A document that was circulated among all contractors in the following days.
Visit our Section Tender Results – Phase 2 to know more regarding contractors and their innovative ideas.

RELIEF Phase 1 official Kick-off meeting took place last Tuesday, 28th November with the 7 awarded contractors. The Kick-off meeting was organized in one of the buyer’s facilities, concretely at Hospital Reina Sofía (Córdoba – Spain).
During the meeting, the RELIEF buyer’s group, SAS, CCU and RESAH acting as lead Procurer, welcomed the awarded entities and explained in detail the main themes and aspects addressed to implement the Phase 1: Feasibility Study. We were talking about monitoring process, communication issues, specific situation per buyer, etc.
RELIEF is a Pre-Commercial Procurement project looking for innovative solutions to improve the self-management of chronic pain.
Continue informed by visiting our website.

The RELIEF Buyer’s Group is pleased to announce the awarding of the Framework Agreements and the contracts for the Phase 1 of the RELIEF PCP Tender.
The awarded tenderers that will implement Phase 1 – Feasibility Study are:

      1. Tech4care
      2. ARTICA TELEMEDICINA S.L.
      3. IDI EIKON
      4. Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas
      5. Linkcare Health Services
      6. HealthCareCoCreation
      7. GNOMON INFORMATICS

CONGRATULATIONS!

We would like also to thank all the entities that have participated in the RELIEF Tender process. Thank you for your interest and involvement.
We will continue informing regarding the process of the tender implementation.

Last 17th October RELIEF project received an award by the Spanish Pain Society (SED). It is a real honor being awarded with such a great recognition.
The award was collected by the coordinator, BravoSolution as well as by one of the public procurer involved in the project, the Andalusian Health Service (Servicio Andaluz de Salud -SAS), in an event held on occasion of the International Day Against Pain. The purpose of this event was to raise chronic pain awareness among institutions, opinion leaders, and overall population as well as enhance the work of people who support the improvement of pain treatment.

This Wednesday 14th December it was organized our last OMC Workshop in Córdoba Spain.
RELIEF project, as part of the Open Market Consultation activities, has organized 3 Workshops to present the RELIEF challenge and also the PCP tender to the eHealth sector.
The workshops were organized in the three public procurers’ countries: Paris (France), Uppsala (Sweden) and Córdoba (Spain).
We are very happy and grateful because of the great attendance; more than 100 participants from different sectors and type of entities.
We are gathering very useful information not only regarding the PCP tender but also about the challenge and the unmet needs.
Find available information about the workshops here. E-health industry can give us their feedback via supplier’s questionnaire on-line until 31st December 2016.

RELIEF attended the Smart City Expo Word Congress organized in Barcelona (Spain). The event will take place on 15th, 16th and 17th of November.
SCEWC is the international summit of discussion about the link between urban reality and technological revolution. Since its first edition in 2011, it has succeeded to become a referential global event to support the development of cities.
This year SCEWC intends to increase the presence of organizations, exhibitors and visitors from all over the world, to keep generating synergies, sharing knowledge, provoke discussion, promote out of the box thinking and inspire a call for actions. There is an imperative need to discuss smart cities and smart citizens. The city must be created not only for citizens but also with them.
In this framework, the RELIEF project was presented in the ACCIÓ Stand (Enterprise Competitiveness Agency of Catalonia) to discuss about Innovation Procurement opportunities.
We shared knowledge and impressions with our friends: PCP projects MAGIC and EMPATTICS.

Our friend PCP project EMPATTICS held one of their OMC Workshops in Santiago de Compostela (Spain) last 15th November 2016.
The workshop was organized by ACIS - SERGAS (Consellería de Sanidade is the Galician Health Ministry) which is also the Lead Procurer.
RELIEF project had the opportunity to present the project and the Open Market Consultation activities recently launched.
We also witnessed the real dialogue with the industry greatly guided by ACIS – SERGAS partners.

Last 3rd and 4th of November took place the First eHealth Congress in Madrid. The Congress was organized by COM SALUD and AIES (Spanish Association of eHealth Researchers).
RELIEF project had the opportunity to present the project and the Open Market Consultation activities recently launched during the eHealth Innovation section.
The audience was formed by Healthcare organizations, Healthcare professionals and also by a great number of eHealth industry.
We obtained valuable feedback and contacts from industry and we also take advantage to know interesting initiatives in the following sectors gamification, Health apps, telemedicine, and virtual reality among others.

The second major EAFIP event took place in the National Centre for Public Administration and Local Government (EKDDA) in Athens, Greece on the 18th and 19th October 2016. This two-day event targeted procurers, policy makers, procurement law firms and businesses, to raise awareness about major PCP/PPI initiatives across Europe, explain the progresses made this last year, present the final version of the EAFIP Toolkit of assistance, and discuss new ideas, initiatives and funding opportunities for PCP/PPI.

The RELIEF project was there to learn about main PCP experiences, to acquire knowledge regarding the best practices recommended and also to obtain relevant information about new trends and initiatives in PPI.

The RELIEF project was presented at the Speakers Corner during the eHealth Week 2016 in Amsterdam (8-10 June).
It was a great opportunity to promote the tender among public procurers and also eHealth SMEs.

More information:
http://www.ehealthweek.org/ehome/128630/speakers-corner/

Organized in the framework of the READi for Health project, coordinated by TICBioMed, it was a good opportunity to get to know what the types of public procurement and its implementation in practical cases.
BravoSolution presented the fundamentals of PPI and the objectives, research methodology and main aspects of RELIEF project.

The European Commission organised the EAFIP workshop which targeted public procurement authorities in general public services like public administration, and economic and financial affairs (ministries, regional and local authorities, public utility companies, etc.).
The workshop was open to public contracting authorities who had the unique chance to openly discuss unmet procurement needs, innovation concepts, and ideas. RELIEF took advantage of the event to make awareness of the project and also to learn about useful information of the PCP process.

More information:
http://eafip.eu/events/workshops/general_sector_workshop/

RELIEF was invited to join “Innovation Procurement H2020 – Infoday” organized by the Knowledge Andalusian Agency (Agencia Andaluza del Conocimiento). The purpose of the infoday was to inform about Public Innovation Procurement as main opportunity for Public Bodies to promote innovation.
RELIEF was presented during the event as a success case of H2020 PCP funded project.

Last 17th and 18th of May, the RELIEF consortium met to discuss the progress of WP2 and WP3 of the project according to the meetings schedule.
SAS partner held the meeting in fabulous city of Córdoba (Spain).

RELIEF was invited to join in the INNOVATION PROCUREMENT IN THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR Workshop which was organized by DG Connect and the EPP-eHealth project on the 11th of May 2016 in Brussels.
This event brought together key actors and those engaged in health (and social) care PPI and PCP projects, buyers and supply chain representatives and EC officers.

The workshop has been focused on key themes:
     • New technologies and societal challenges in healthcare (ICT and eHealth, robotics)
     • Health and wellbeing (personalised medicine, healthy and active aging, health and climate change)

During the event, Patricia Martínez (Project Manager from BravoSolution) presented the project.
RELIEF also learnt about current state of the art and barriers and opportunities of public procurement as a key mechanism to drive markets for healthcare innovation. The workshop was also a good opportunity to establish contacts with related initiatives and projects so as to further explore future collaborations.

AERCE is established as a professional association whose main purpose is disseminating and publishing information and knowledge regarding purchasing and supply sectors. In this regard, the RELIEF project offers an innovative perspective to manage the purchasing management.
More information:
http://www.revistagestiondecompras.es/actualidad/item/727-bravosolution-espana-coordina-un-proyecto-europeo-para-impulsar-soluciones-tic-contra-el-dolor-cronico.html

ALIMARKET, leader in sectorial economic information in Spain talks about the RELIEF project.
More information:
https://www.alimarket.es/noticia/208421/bravosolution-espana-lidera-un-proyecto-europeo-de-tic-para-cronicos?platform=hootsuite

More information:
https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/new-project-launched-innovation-chronic-pain-self-management

The official launch of the project was the occasion to meet partners from the three countries involved (Spain, France and Sweden).
The consortium reviewed the RELIEF project’s objectives, activities and planned tasks to be developed during the different workpackages. Partners introduced their organisations and role in the project, discussed workplan and administrative and financial issues for the correct management of the project.
A workplan for the first year of the project was agreed.

RELIEF participated in the 3rd Annual Concertation PCP projects meeting organized by the DG CNECT last March 10th 2016. We presented an overview of the project jointly with the rest of new Horizon 2020 CNECT PCP projects. It was a wonderful opportunity to share experiences and learn from other projects and initiatives.

The RELIEF project has been included in the Special Feature dedicated to chronic pain published in the CORDIS RESEARCH*EU (February 2020 #89).

Please, find the whole article here (pages 5 and 6 Special Feature section):

In the framework of the task 3.1 Market review; stakeholder’s consultation of WP3 “Creation of specific PCP call for innovative self-management pain techniques”, SAS partner organized a Co-Creation Workshop to reinforce the identification of User’s Needs from the clinicians and patients perspective.
The workshop was also supported by UOC and BRAVOSOLUTION’s partners.

The objective was to deeply know the needs of patients treated in the Pain Unit Service of the Reina Sofía Córdoba University Hospital and also the healthcare professionals that work there, and also to identify relevant insights that allow establishing main themes and needs to be solved.

The methodology used is based on the design thinking methodology. In particular, it was used the journey map technique to perform the needs research.

The main insights obtained will be evaluated jointly with the rest of information gathered from the Identification of Needs activity.