The Digital Health Centre

The Digital Health Center offers a range of digital programs focused on enhancing the management of chronic diseases, promoting health literacy, and motivating habit changes. The target group includes citizens with type 2 diabetes, COPD, or heart disease, as well as individuals seeking healthy habits, wanting to quit smoking, or living with chronic pain.

These digital programs are available through the "My Life – My Health" app, which primarily serves as the user's gateway to support and information. Participation can occur via mobile devices, allowing both citizens and their relatives to access inspiration and guidance at their convenience.

These digital services attract groups that typically do not use municipal offerings, providing more people with the opportunity to engage in health-promoting and preventive activities. They can start independently or with support from municipal professionals.

The Digital Health Center transforms task-solving methods by developing and operating digital services in a partnership across municipalities, the region, and civil society. Citizens are also actively involved in the design process and content development.

This collaboration ensures optimal resource utilization across municipalities in a time of significant healthcare staff shortages and a growing number of citizens with chronic diseases.

The services are developed through various projects supported by several foundations.

Key projects under the Digital Health Center:

Digital Patient Education

This project, which ran from January 2015 to December 2017, targeted citizens with type 2 diabetes and heart diseases. It was the first project under the Digital Health Center, based on e-learning and webinars. Experiences from this project laid the foundation for establishing a partnership for the operation and further development of digital health promotion and prevention services.

Digital Diabetes

From January 2019 to June 2021, this project was carried out with support from the Health Authority's fund for inclusion and retention of particularly vulnerable diabetes patients. The first version of the "My Life – My Health" app was developed during this project period.

The primary target group for "My Life – My Health" was vulnerable citizens with type 2 diabetes and those at high risk of developing chronic diseases due to their health behavior. These groups need support to achieve healthy habits. The app was thus developed to provide simple tools and knowledge, presented visually, comprehensibly, and action-oriented.

Digital Skills for Health Professionals

The project was conducted in collaboration with Southern Denmark Health Innovation, Steno Diabetes Center Odense, Cross-sectoral Cooperation in the Region of Southern Denmark, several municipalities, UCL Business Academy and University College, and UC SYD.

The aim was to enhance the digital skills of healthcare professionals in municipalities and hospitals through practice-oriented training. The focus was on understanding technology, using digital technologies, and communicating with citizens in connection with digitally supported treatment, care, and rehabilitation.

The project supported the implementation of the Digital Health Center by ensuring that healthcare professionals are equipped for digital contact with citizens. The project has concluded, but experiences and results continue in the interdisciplinary elective "Digitalization and Relationship Formation" and a corresponding diploma course for healthcare professionals.

Health Together from Home

From January 2021 to July 2023, with funds from the TrygFonden, digital patient education was developed for citizens with COPD and two additional heart diseases. Programs were also developed for those wishing to change habits related to food, exercise, and smoking.

Management, Empowerment, and Mastery of Symptoms (MeMoS)

In the MeMoS project (January 2022 - April 2024), a program was developed for people living with chronic pain. The program, "A Better Life with Pain," can be found in the "My Life – My Health" app and contains knowledge and tools for people living with chronic pain.

Skills for Digital Leadership

The "Skills for Digital Leadership" project (January 2024 – December 2024) will develop and test an educational concept for leaders to prepare them to spearhead digital transformation. The educational concept aims to equip leaders to effectively understand, manage, and lead digitalization within the healthcare sector.

In the project, over 30 leaders will participate in two workshops and a series of online webinars. Participants will also work within their own organizations with the acquired knowledge and a case they choose themselves.

Cancer Rehabilitation: Regaining Strength

This project (January 2024 – December 2027) develops a digital rehabilitation program for cancer patients.

As part of the large EU project, "Joint Action Prevent NCD," the Digital Health Center has expanded its focus to include cancer. The project aims to address multiple aspects of living with a cancer diagnosis.

The digital rehabilitation program will be available through the "My Life – My Health" app, allowing cancer patients to follow their rehabilitation journey at their own pace and from home. The goal is to improve the quality of life and health of cancer patients by preventing chronic late effects after the illness. The target group is adults over 18 years old, either in active treatment or having completed their treatment.

Partners

The Digital Health Center's partnership consists of several municipalities, the Diabetes Association, the Heart Association, the Lung Association, the Association of Chronic Pain Patients and Relatives (FAKS), and the Region of Southern Denmark (Southern Denmark Health Innovation, Cross-sectoral Cooperation, and Steno Diabetes Center Odense).