SPIRIT
Collaborating on person-centred care, with integrated, robust innovative technology
Within SPIRIT, research groups from universities of applied sciences are actively involved in the use of technology for manageable care. They are organised in a so-called “SPRONG group” to form a strong research basis for and with practice.
The basis of this SPRONG group consists of eleven research groups engaged in the development and deployment of care technology. They have been working together for several years in the national research platform Platform for the Deployment of Technology for Health and Wellbeing (PIT).
More spirit for healthcare professionals
SPIRIT focuses on the development, implementation and evaluation of technology for Manpower-Friendly Care (TvBZ). “Manpower-friendly” refers to anything that helps healthcare personnel to do their work to a high standard and to their satisfaction. Reducing work pressure and deploying (scarce) healthcare personnel more intelligently contributes to this.
The aim of bringing together the relevant research groups in this SPIRIT consortium is to make the necessary technological innovation more effective and faster. Innovative projects and pilots are currently taking place throughout the Netherlands.
National collaboration with nine universities of applied sciences
Healthcare and knowledge institutions and entrepreneurs often do this at regional level in their own way, while elsewhere in the country there is often already knowledge available about how to approach this (better): How do you design something together with a specific target group? How do you implement a particular technology effectively? What are the appropriate methods for evaluating the added value?
By engaging in more intensive knowledge exchange at the national level in the areas of healthcare content, technology and methodology, we can learn to tackle these innovative processes more quickly, whether we are healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, teachers or practical researchers. But just as important: there will be more uniformity and coordination in methodological approach and less fragmentation/overlap in innovative projects. This ultimately puts less pressure on the healthcare workplace and helps entrepreneurs develop their innovations more quickly.
Better manageable care
The activities of the SPRONG group (and the underlying projects) focus on all phases of technological innovation. In addition to incorporating current activities related to evaluation/uniform valuation into SPRONG, the same approach is being taken with regard to research activities related to product development and the implementation and upscaling of healthcare technology. A technological innovation must – in all likelihood – lead to (better) manageable care.
All areas of care fall within the activities of the SPRONG group: participating healthcare parties come from elderly care, disabled care, hospital care, rehabilitation, but also mental healthcare.