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Why we need action

In the European Union, people with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes represent some of the largest – and increasing – patient populations causing serious personal hardship to a growing number of Europeans. National healthcare systems face the mounting challenge of adequately alleviating these hardships, while simultaneously having to adjust to limitations in human, financial, and technological resources. Therefore, targeted action to assist Member State health systems in meeting this challenge is of the utmost importance in the European Union. The shared conviction united numerous experts from various fields and EU countries and brought to life the Joint Action on Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes [JACARDI], one of the largest joint action initiatives in EU history. This sizable and multifaceted effort addresses the growing burden of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases from multiple angles. One of these angles is the improvement of existing patient pathways and the application of new approaches to care delivery to help European healthcare systems provide efficient and equitable care to European citizens.

Treating these conditions is a complex and enduring challenge for healthcare systems. Healthcare systems often face limitations in human resources, financial resources, and technological resources. As the number of individuals living with these diseases steadily increases, developing new patient care processes becomes crucial. This ensures effective treatment for a growing patient population despite healthcare system constraints.

Our mission

JACARDI’s primary goal is to enhance the diagnosis, treatment, and management of CVD and diabetes. Work Package 9 aims to achieve this through strategically designed interventions utilizing integrated care pathways. These pathways will encompass care delivery, decision support tools, information systems and technology, and access to social/community resources, specifically tailored to various target populations affected by these conditions.

Our action plan

Partners in our work carry out 29 pilot projects in 11 countries over the 4 years of JACARDI. Pilot projects are new initiatives that are implemented on a limited scale for testing purposes, and where the implementers collect reliable data to show whether the project has the potential to succeed on a larger scale.

The pilot projects are designed based on the available previous good practices and feedback and input from patients and the scientific literature. They address the four main dimensions of implementation  and support needs, which are: 

  1. Mapping the needs and conditions and identification of available best practices.
  2. Pilot preparation – Development of the pilot implementation plans.
  3. Pilot implementation.
  4. Assessment and roadmap.

The pilot projects are designed, implemented, and evaluated based 
on the following steps:

1.

Mapping of patient care and service pathways implementation needs at all implementation sites
Completed by: : June 2024

In this phase, each pilot team collects information about the patient care and service pathways they aim to improve. The objective is to analyze patient care and service pathways using a predefined methodology, incorporating key elements of cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus care. This involves generating a framework for pathway analysis, conducting situation and stakeholder analyses at pilot sites, and mapping best practices to address identified pathway issues, following established methodologies from previous EU projects. For these analyses, guidance is provided by a dedicated work package specifically established for this purpose.

2.

The development of the Pilot Implementation Plans
Completed by: October 2024

The Pilot Implementation Plan is a detailed plan that outlines the tasks and resources required during the implementation phase to achieve the project’s objectives. The objective is to develop tailored Pilot Implementation Plans for each site, capitalizing on existing strengths while addressing identified weaknesses. Additionally, an evaluation plan will be established to monitor the implementation process.

This involves each pilot site deciding on best practices or evidence-based interventions, specifying key elements to address in their pilots, and planning data collection for process, outcome, and health economic assessment, integrating the assessment framework provided and considering specific health economic aspects in collaboration with relevant experts.

3.

Pilot implementations
Completed by: December 2026

The objective is to carry out the implementation of 29 pilots in 11 countries, following the specific Pilot Implementation Plans developed. The implementation methodology, aligned with the framework, includes addressing sources of resistance, assessing education needs, and implementing communication plans, with regular meetings and follow-ups ensuring smooth progress and experience exchange, while the continuous monitoring guided by specific assessment plans ensures the success of the pilots.

4.

Collection of pilots’ data and indicators
Completed by: September 2027

We track relevant quantitative data from the pilots, along with qualitative feedback from participants, to perform a final assessment of the programs.

The objective is to assess the effectiveness of pilot implementations, starting six months after initiation, to evaluate intended changes and gather initial participant experiences. Subsequently, based on information collected from earlier tasks, a roadmap will be developed outlining the characteristics of pilots for structuring and managing patient pathways for cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus, taking into account regional differences and aiming to facilitate successful applications at other sites. In addition, the pilots will place a strong emphasis on sustainability, which will be supported by a dedicated work package within the project.

Strategies for long-term success

The long-term ambition is for numerous successful pilot projects to deliver replicable results that healthcare institutions across the EU can confidently adopt, fostering the advancement of the healthcare delivery system. To achieve this, a multifaceted approach is proposed:

  • Sustaining the achieved successes within the original pilot environment.
  • Developing a comprehensive roadmap for the gradual scaling up of patient pathway support: building upon the learnings from pilot projects, we will create a detailed roadmap that ensures the successful expansion of patient pathway support programs.
  • Establishing long-term partnerships with healthcare stakeholders: collaboration with relevant health authorities, institutions, and organizations will facilitate knowledge and experience sharing, maximizing the efficient utilization of shared resources and expertise.
  • Sharing best practices and lessons learned with other regions and countries: through knowledge-sharing platforms and collaborations, successful strategies and acquired expertise will be disseminated to countries outside the EU.
  • Collaborating with policymakers: by working with policymakers, we will advocate for the development of healthcare policies that support the integration of patient journey management strategies into the healthcare delivery system.

This comprehensive approach aims to harness the successes of pilot projects, ultimately contributing to an elevated standard of care across the European Union