At the THCS workshop “Strengthening Ecosystems” on October 13 in Vienna, AIT experts Hannes Perko (TeleEPI), Christopher Mayer (TOGETHER) and Markus Garschall (DemiCare+) presented three European projects designed to make care pathways closer to everyday life and more transferable. Their common focus is on practical models that can be integrated into regional health ecosystems, from epilepsy aftercare and hypertension management to support for family caregivers of people with dementia.
Fragmented pathways, heavy burden
Chronic diseases and long-term care place a strain on healthcare structures across Europe. Epilepsy diagnostics in many places still rely on episodic, often inpatient measurements in hospitals, which capture everyday life only to a limited extent. Despite available therapies, hypertension often remains inadequately controlled, not least because responsibilities are split between GP practices and pharmacies. Family caregivers of people with dementia are under considerable strain, preventive support often reaches them too late or is insufficiently personalised.
Three AIT projects at a glance
TeleEPI (presented by Hannes Perko). The project shifts key steps in epilepsy aftercare into the home: continuous, unobtrusive everyday measurements are linked to clinical decision-making via a telemedicine platform; hospitals remain hubs for targeted diagnostics. Perko sums up the core idea as follows: “When we combine continuous EEG data from everyday life with telemedical care, we shorten the path to the appropriate therapy decision while at the same time relieving pressure on inpatient services.” The goal is an integrated, evidence-based pathway that fits into regional ecosystems.
TOGETHER (presented by Christopher Mayer). The project addresses blood pressure control through low-threshold screening and team-based care between general practitioners and pharmacies. “Vascular age” serves as a tool for risk communication; structured processes are intended to improve adherence and reduce therapeutic inertia. The central question is how primary care and pharmacies can work together to achieve faster, better diagnosis and treatment of hypertension. Current information on TOGETHER: https://www.ait.ac.at/news-events/single-view?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=9083&cHash=69089787e056260a1c3bd1cd6a9ed2ac
DemiCare+ (presented by Markus Garschall). Building on an existing digital approach, everyday micro-interventions for family caregivers are being developed, based on approaches from positive psychology and cognitive behavioural therapy, complemented by integration with local support services. The solution aims to reduce burden, prevent depressive symptoms and thus stabilise the home care situation.
From piloting to transferability
At the THCS workshop “Strengthening Ecosystems” in Vienna, the projects were discussed with key stakeholders from care delivery, research and industry. The focus is on measurable effects: reliable data quality, suitability for everyday use, faster and better therapy decisions along with higher adherence, relief for inpatient services, and tangible improvements in quality of life and system indicators. What matters is that the approaches integrate smoothly into existing workflows—and can be scaled beyond THCS into national and regional ecosystems.