The project is funded by the Autonomous Province of Trento and coordinated by the ITC-Irst in collaboration with the Universities of Pavia, Florence and Trento, the Fraunhofer IBMT and the Health Care Service Trust of the Province of Trento. The overall aim of the project is to design, develop and assess computerized guidelines for an integrated care management model. A web structure will act as a virtual environment in which information services are delivered to various categories of users.

This cooperative framework based on innovative techniques will support all those involved in the care process (hospital doctors, nurses, and general practitioners) by furnishing information, providing access to data according to need, and enabling the exchange of information. The system will be implemented and clinically validated in order to evaluate its effectiveness in the management of heart failure patients.

The contribution by the RUCOLA Research Unit to the e-Heart Failure Project has consisted in the conduct of a follow-up study to monitor implementation of the electronic clinical record.

Objectives achieved: the follow-up study by the RUCOLA research unit has divided into several phases, the first of which was the administration of interviews prior to release of the computerized system to health practitioners. This first follow-up study considered the state of the context and the health practitioners before the electronic clinical record enters everyday use.

Researchers: Silvia Gherardi (coordinator), Alberto Zanutto (referent), Davide Nicolini
Period: 2003 - 2005
Funding: Fondo Unico - Provincia Autonoma di Trento