ARCH is hosted at University College Dublin (UCD), where researchers from clinical, engineering, technology, policy and economic fields — with input from the University of Limerick and almost every higher education institute in the country with connected-health research capability — will collaborate.
Connected health is the use of “connecting” technologies — broadband, wireless, mobile and fixed phone lines — together with medical devices and treatments for healthcare applications. It is also very much an “internet of things” affair, using sensors, alarm systems, vital-sign monitoring devices, health informatics and data management systems.
“By investing €5 million, and above all by bringing together industry and researchers to work on common problems, we can develop cutting-edge technologies and accelerate job creation right across the country.”
A daunting challenge
Professor Brian Caulfield of the UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science, who directs ARCH, explained that every country in the world faces infinite demand for healthcare services from finite resources, spiralling costs, higher patient expectations and an ageing population — by 2051 close to 40% of the EU’s population will be over 65. Advances in technology such as those developed through ARCH enable a shift towards personalised, information-based health services, improving patient experience and reducing the cost of care.
During its initial research phase ARCH focused on caring for patients with dementia; the model will now be applied to a broader range of conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
ARCH is headquartered at NexusUCD, the Industry Partnership Centre at UCD. Fifteen industry partners steer its research programme: ADA Security Systems, Boston Scientific, Hermitage Medical Clinic, ICON, OpenHealth, Novartis, Philips, Relate Care, ResMed, S3 Group, Swiftqueue, Theya Lingerie, Two Ten Health, Vitalograph and Vu2Vu.
By John Kennedy. Published in Silicon Republic, 18 May 2015.