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Zorglab Aalst
Published on 28 May 2021
Belgium
Prov. Oost-Vlaanderen
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
ZorgLab Aalst is an environment to test and experiment innovative solutions in health and care. The living lab supports and facilitates patient centered solutions in real life settings, providing a test panel of patients, elderly and care professionals and demonstration possibilities.
ZorgLab Aalst addresses following problems
- An ageing population and increase of chronic conditions, which need new solutions in health, care & wellbeing that fit the needs of end users (healthy citizens, patients, elderly, care professionals…)
- The current reform in organising and financing care stimulates organisations to look for new solutions
- SME’s have difficulties to access end users and/or care organisations
- Many innovations for healthcare fail as there is no appropriate product-market fit
ZorgLab Aalst works together with the Flemish government and with other living labs (Happy Ageing & Licalab) and is embedded in a broad strategy of the city to innovate in healthcare to support
- excellence in health care -> collaboration with health care organisations
- entrepreneurship in healthcare -> Innovation Hub in health care
- an accessible and healthy city -> public spaces and services
The main stakeholders & beneficiaries are SMEs and start-ups, care organisations in need of innovative approaches to give answer to today’s challenges, end users (healthy citizens, patients, seniors, care organisations, cities & regions, knowledge institutes.
ZorgLab Aalst addresses following problems
- An ageing population and increase of chronic conditions, which need new solutions in health, care & wellbeing that fit the needs of end users (healthy citizens, patients, elderly, care professionals…)
- The current reform in organising and financing care stimulates organisations to look for new solutions
- SME’s have difficulties to access end users and/or care organisations
- Many innovations for healthcare fail as there is no appropriate product-market fit
ZorgLab Aalst works together with the Flemish government and with other living labs (Happy Ageing & Licalab) and is embedded in a broad strategy of the city to innovate in healthcare to support
- excellence in health care -> collaboration with health care organisations
- entrepreneurship in healthcare -> Innovation Hub in health care
- an accessible and healthy city -> public spaces and services
The main stakeholders & beneficiaries are SMEs and start-ups, care organisations in need of innovative approaches to give answer to today’s challenges, end users (healthy citizens, patients, seniors, care organisations, cities & regions, knowledge institutes.
Expert opinion
In the context of an aging population in Europe and the need for affordable R&D options for SMEs, this good practice is an innovative solution for addressing elder care and supporting SMEs to develop new products. What stands out in this case is that SMEs in the healthcare industry have an opportunity to interact with their market base (elderly) and receive immediate feedback on the products that they are developing. This is accomplished through a “living lab” setting where SMEs can develop their products with the input of healthcare providers and the people they aim to serve. Further, this good practice is an excellent example of aligning regional policy needs – elder care, economic development, creating an accessible and healthy city – with the needs of local SMEs. This mutually beneficial relationship has led to an impressive 56 newly developed products and services in health, care, and wellbeing since the project’s inception.
We also recommend looking at the Hipa Project – a living lab for aging well from France: https://www.interregeurope.eu/policylearning/good-practices/item/2475/hipa-project/
We also recommend looking at the Hipa Project – a living lab for aging well from France: https://www.interregeurope.eu/policylearning/good-practices/item/2475/hipa-project/
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
3,6 FTE – a team of living lab coordinator, health care economist, panelmanager, business advisor, scientific support
Evidence of success
Embedded in a broad city strategy to innovate in healthcare. Therefore it can facilitate collaboration with health care organisations and it has helped to create an accessible and healthy city in public spaces and services also leading to international projects
56 developed products and services in health, care and wellbeing
Since start collaboration with 26 businesses and 19 care organisations
1 demonstration house with innovation supporting ageing in place
+ 700 panel members
56 developed products and services in health, care and wellbeing
Since start collaboration with 26 businesses and 19 care organisations
1 demonstration house with innovation supporting ageing in place
+ 700 panel members
Potential for learning or transfer
Financial & organisational:
• Support of the government for research & development is needed: national, regional and/or local
• Living lab as part of broader a organisation: part of the local government, research institution, network organisation => fall back on broader infrastructure and overhead
Demand driven vs technology driven :
• End user involvement strengthens chance of successful uptake: from defining the concept through user testing
• Innovation support for care organisations: supportive measure to stimulate demand driven innovation
• Working with specific calls (for funding and support) towards entrepreneurs in healthcare (local, regional, EU)
• Development of Digital solutions: everything is possible <-> but the target group is not always able to use these solutions, because of a lack of digital literacy: a system supporting them in using these solutions is essential
• Cost-effectiveness of solutions
• Support of the government for research & development is needed: national, regional and/or local
• Living lab as part of broader a organisation: part of the local government, research institution, network organisation => fall back on broader infrastructure and overhead
Demand driven vs technology driven :
• End user involvement strengthens chance of successful uptake: from defining the concept through user testing
• Innovation support for care organisations: supportive measure to stimulate demand driven innovation
• Working with specific calls (for funding and support) towards entrepreneurs in healthcare (local, regional, EU)
• Development of Digital solutions: everything is possible <-> but the target group is not always able to use these solutions, because of a lack of digital literacy: a system supporting them in using these solutions is essential
• Cost-effectiveness of solutions
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Zorglab Aalst
Belgium
Prov. Oost-Vlaanderen