Posted on: 5/02/2014
SMEs developing new healthcare technology have until 6 February 2014 to submit entries to this year’s European e-health competition, a satellite event of the internationally renowned World of Health IT conference (WoHIT).
Organised by Spanish Healthcare cooperative TIC Biomed, with support from the European Commission and WoHIT, the contest rewards small to medium-sized developers of the best technology-based healthcare solutions.
These can include apps that reward people for performing beneficial behaviours, web portals that enable patients to book appointments or order prescriptions and devices that track and monitor patients remotely.
The competition is sponsored by leading healthcare technology specialists D Health and Alere, as well as entrepreneurial competition founders, YouNoodle.
Dr Steven Dodsworth CEO at D Health, said: “Everyone in the healthcare industry knows what challenges lie ahead – an ageing population, more lifestyle-related ill health and growing constraints on budgets. In a nutshell, there is an increasing demand for services but fewer resources to deliver them.
“In light of this increasing demand across the globe, we need to support the development and commercialisation of e-health services and digital healthcare technology as a whole. We need innovation to support existing healthcare systems by increasing efficiency in established processes (whether administrative or medical), to promote positive health-related behaviour change and to increase the effectiveness of therapeutic processes and procedures.
“The competition is very important as it raises the profile of this vital industry and supports innovation in our small businesses by giving them visibility on the European stage, helping them to showcase their innovations and make new connections.”
Competition winners will receive cash prizes as well as a range of support services including membership to the D Health Catalyst, a market accelerator for the development of new digital healthcare products. The top prizewinner will also receive a copy of the company’s forthcoming white paper which offers a new strategic view on the digital healthcare market.
Last year’s top prizewinners were UK Preventative Medicine, a developer of prevention, early detection and chronic condition management products, and BrainControl, an assistive technology that helps people suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Multiple Sclerosis and traumatic injury communicate. This includes people who are in locked-in state.
The competition final takes place in Nice on 2 April 2014.
For more information about the competition, or to register, visit https://www.ehealthcompetition.eu/