ABOUT US
The CALMA consortium promoted the co-creation of CALMA: a human-centered healthcare innovation designed through citizen participation.
Dyspnea can be a challenging symptom during daily life, both for people who live with it and their caregivers, and it might even lead to hospitalization in acute situations. Although there are many things that can be done to improve this situation beyond the pharmaceutical approach, many of these solutions are too often left on the shelf due to diverse reasons. In this context, the CALMA consortium promoted the co-creation of CALMA, a human-centred healthcare innovation designed through a participatory approach and funded by EIT Health, an EU-backed network of best-in-class health innovators.
So, what’s CALMA?
Briefly, CALMA is a unique opportunity for patients and caregivers to be heard and feel empowered to shape the way they receive their care, become active in managing their own health and learn how to work together with healthcare professionals to equalize their conversations about their health.
The CALMA approach
CALMA has been co-designed by patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals from hospitals and primary healthcare centres in Spain and Portugal. They all contributed to create this program to help patients suffering from dyspnea and caregivers define their particular needs and develop their own strategies to better manage their symptoms in three critical moments: stable periods, daily crises, and recovery after hospitalization.
Furthermore, when developing CALMA, an effort was made to bridge the communication gap between citizens and healthcare professionals; trying to remove jargon, leveraging the power of visual design and facilitating environments in which balanced and rich interactions and exchanges can occur. This way, CALMA can have a direct impact not only in patients and caregivers, but also in their healthcare professionals, as they can learn how to co-create and deliver real patient-centred solutions.
The CALMA approach
CALMA has been co-designed by patients, caregivers, and healthcare professio-nals from hospitals and primary healthcare centres in Spain and Portugal. They all contributed to create this program to help patients suffering from dyspnea and caregivers define their particular needs and develop their own strategies to better manage their symptoms in three critical moments: stable periods, daily crises, and recovery after hospitalization.
Furthermore, when developing CALMA, an effort was made to bridge the com-munication gap between citizens and healthcare professionals; trying to remove jargon, leveraging the power of visual design and facilitating environments in which balanced and rich interactions and exchanges can occur. This way, CALMA can have a direct impact not only in patients and caregivers, but also in their healthcare professionals, as they can learn how to co-create and deliver real patient-centred solutions.
MEET OUR PARTNERS
MEET OUR PARTNERS
Hospital Clínic de Barcelona
Hospital Clínic led the program development, ensured a patient-centred design and provided clinical expertise to help co-creating the contents.
Centro Hospitalar e Universitario de Coimbra
Centro Hospitalar e Universitario de Coimbra led the development of the program in Portugal, and provided clinical expertise to help co-creating the contents.
Universitat de Barcelona
The Faculty of Information and Audiovisual Media of the University of Barcelona provided their expertise on communication strategies and the development of this platform.
Universidade de Coimbra
University of Coimbra brought their expertise in coordinating and evaluating innovation projects and co-designing training programmes to advice and coordinate this project.
ISGlobal
ISGlobal team lead the project coordination and evaluated its outcomes.
Philips
Philips Ibérica studied the implementation an integration of the tools in Spain and Portugal and designed self-sustainable and scalable strategies for the programme.
The Care Lab
The Care Lab led the co-creation with healthcare professionals, patients and caregivers both for AULA CALMA and CALMA coaching, as well as their design.
Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova
(Institut Català de la Salut)
Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova replicated the program in a low-density population area, and provided clinical expertise to help evaluating the program.
Medical University of Lodz
Medical University of Lodz replicated the program in Poland, and provided clinical expertise to help evaluating the program.