HUMAN Kickoff Meeting – Driving Digital Transformation in Healthcare

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HUMAN project: Collaborating across Europe to advance Healthcare 5.0 in remote and rural regions

17 September 2025 - HUMAN project

ERNACT led and Interreg Europe funded HUMAN project officially launched with an insightful two-day kick-off meeting in County Donegal, Ireland, hosted by ERNACT and HSE North West Ireland bringing together partners from across Europe to begin shaping the future of regional Healthcare 5.0 through innovation and collaboration.

Day 1: Exploring Rural Healthcare in Action

The event began with a scenic site visit from Letterkenny to Gaoth Dobhair, offering participants a first-hand look at the region’s remote healthcare landscape. Hosted at the gteic@Gaoth Dobhair, the morning session featured presentations from Paddy Browne (HSE West & Northwest), Emiear Sheridan (HSE Technology and Transformation), and Brian Ferry (National Ambulance Service). Discussions centered on pre-hospital care, telemedicine, and clinical innovation in rural Ireland, especially in Donegal.

Following a review of the regional context analysis led by Joana Carrilho from University of Porto, attendees enjoyed a networking lunch before heading to Glenveagh National Park for an outdoor activity that blended nature with informal collaboration.

Day 2: Partnership Building and Innovation Sharing

The second day focused on partnership development and knowledge exchange. Highlights included a compelling presentation by Antoinette Doherty (HSE West/Northwest) on Ireland’s first remote respiratory monitoring virtual care service, showcasing the potential of integrated care models.

Partners also shared examples of good practices from their regions, including:

TELEkap – National Telestroke Network for Timely Specialist Stroke Care in Slovenia, presented by Anita Molka from The Heart of Slovenia
TruDi – The Truck of Digitalization (for the healthcare sector), presented by Désirée Neeb from Hof University of Applied Sciences

Also, discussed progress in establishing stakeholder groups, reinforcing the project's commitment to co-creation and regional engagement. Karla Muñoz Esquivel (Atlantic Technological University) presented the RemoTED and Tech2Heal projects, emphasizing the role of connected technologies in supporting remote populations.

The meeting wrapped up with updates on communication and dissemination activities, including the launch of the HUMAN project video, and a review of management and coordination led by ERNACT. Preparations are now underway for the next meeting, to be hosted by the University of Porto.

Michael McBride from ERNACT, lead partner of the HUMAN project looked forward to collaborating in the coming months and years to drive innovation and tangible benefits to health care in regional areas throughout Europe and to meaningfully contribute the Healthcare 5.0.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Click here to email Maixa Zabaleta at ERNACT for further information

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