| Project title |
Cross-border collaboration on Breast Health:
Prevention, examination and treatment of breast cancer in South Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein |
| Summary |
The topic of breast-health is of great importance for the inhabitants of South Denmark and in the north of Schleswig-Holstein. On both sides of the border initiatives have been established for the further improvement of public medical care in the field of breast health. These programmes are called ‘Kraeftplan II’ (DK) and ‘Betrifft Brust’ (D). The results of different strategies in two countries offer much potential for partners on both sides of the border to share their experiences and to learn from each other. The project also offers opportunities for a cooperative approach to expert knowledge and resources for breast cancer prevention and breast cancer treatment.
The main objective of the project is to lay ground to improve breast health medical services in such a way that expert knowledge and resources are shared cross-border and synergy effects are exploited. The results of this cooperation should be earlier diagnosis of breast cancer and enhancement in the quality of diagnosis and therapeutic procedures. Mortality will be lowered, cross-border medical resources will be more easily available and procedural efficiency will be enhanced. |
| Status |
Running |
| Start - End |
January 2009 - December 2010 |
| EU programme |
Interreg IV A |
| Budget |
1.3 million |
| Contact person |
Julia Günther
Flensburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany
E-Mail: julia.guenther@fh-flensburg.de
|
| Objectives |
The project objectives are:
To establish a cross-border cooperation network among professionals (medical, IT, administrational), patient organisations and further stakeholders from South Denmark and Northern Schleswig-Holstein in the field of breast cancer prevention and treatment.
To exchange professional knowledge and create a common medical, technical and organisational understanding about the breast cancer programs in South Denmark and Northern Schleswig-Holstein.
To verify the feasibility and prepare a concept for the large-scale implementation of cross-border medical services within the framework of breast cancer prevention and treatment.
This project should create the basis for a follow-up implementation project which has the focus
To set common benchmarks regarding the quality of breast cancer prevention and treatment between the Danish and German partner regions.
To create cross-border access to medical resources and expertise in the field of breast cancer prevention and treatment based on common medical, organisational and technical infrastructures.
To implement a digital technical infrastructure at radiology experts in Northern Schleswig-Holstein to enable the cross-border exchange of data and medical services with South Denmark.
- To exchange cross-border medical services within the framework of breast cancer prevention and treatment in a pilot phase with a strong focus on sustainability.
|
| E-Health application used in a transnational context |
One aim is to develop and test a concept to establish a secure and reliable infrastructure that will connect the participating organisations in order for them to transmit sensitive patient data electronically. It is expected that the infrastructure of the Baltic Health Network (BHN) will be tested or an alternative technical solution will be implemented. The infrastructure and technical set-up (BHN) was tested during the ciTTis project (INTERREG III A) and it is expected that this solution will be used, as it is a prerequisite for transferring patient data across borders and it adheres to both Danish and German legislation.
In a pilot implementation, a common, cross-border programme for breast screening and ‘quality-assured mammographic diagnostics’ should be tested. |
| Benefit of transnational approach |
The project partners will learn from each other from the best practices in the breast health initiatives in each region. They will identify the strengths and weaknesses in their own breast health strategies. On this basis they can transfer the experiences and concepts of their own work in the provision and treatment of breast cancer. The quality of the breast cancer programmes in South Denmark and in Schleswig-Holstein should be evaluated in a long-term review. The quality development will be verified and potentials for innovation and improvement will be discovered. |
| Planned |
| Activities |
Establishment of a cross-border cooperation network among professionals (medical, IT, administrational), patient organisations and further stakeholders from South Denmark and Northern Schleswig-Holstein
Comparison of the Breast Cancer Programmes in Southern Denmark and Northern Schleswig-Holstein
Conception of the Cross-border Medical Cooperation for prevention and treatment of breast cancer patients
Conception and testing of the Cross-border IT-Network and Security
- Conception of administrational issues and of financing of the implementation and running phase
|
| Output |
Concept of both, mammography reporting system as well as guidelines for the communication/data exchange.
Concept and test of technical infrastructure that removes the technical barriers for use and dissemination of transnational healthcare services between the regions.
- Communication and data exchange on mammae cancer patients in a pilot testing
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