Comunicare

Liège, 31 Mars 2024 – Comunicare Solutions ranked 2nd high-growth small companies of the province of Liège in 2024 by Trends-Tendance.
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Based on a quantitative analysis by Trends Top, 3 categories of companies are distinguished:

• small companies » (added value of less than 1 million euros),
• medium-sized companies » (added value between 1 and 5 million euros) and
•  large companies » (added value over 5 million euros).

Next, their balance sheets over the last 5 years are evaluated on the basis of 3 criteria, and a ranking is established according to their growth (in absolute and percentage terms):

• Growth in added value
• Staff growth
• Growth in cash flow

Finally, the company must have created 10 jobs since its creation.

Liège, Décembre 31, 2023 – Digitisation is moving through the healthcare landscape like an express train. Brussels’ Europa Hospitals are also experimenting heavily with digital apps for tele-healthcare. Innovation manager Gatien Hocepied, Bram Mombers-Schepers (Head of Cancer Plan Implementation) and Brice Van Eeckhout, co-CEO of IT company Comunicare Solutions explain.

Two years ago, Europe Hospitals installed IBIS, a digital patient portal that offers a lot of additional possibilities around e-health, says Brice. « A first use case for using Comunicare was to support patients with heart failure. Through the Comunicare app, they received tailored information about their disease and treatment and could fill in questions about their vital signs. This allows healthcare staff to monitor, remotely, the course of the condition. It is also useful for the patient. He is also supported at home with his illness, the signs of decompensation are detected more quickly and he keeps his own finger on the pulse. »

« It also becomes easier to immediately pick out patients who need more attention, » adds Gatien adds. « Before, we had to communicate with each patient individually, which was cumbersome and time-consuming. With this system, that runs much more smoothly. »

Because the use case was so successful, it is now being extended to the next group of patients: people with prostate cancer, Gatien says: « The aim is, on the one hand, to give them information about the course of their disease and treatment, but also to quickly and easily detect symptoms such as temperature, nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting. This allows us to better take into account the patient’s condition and better inform therapeutic decisions. »

By the way, the app itself has therapeutic benefits, Bram stresses. « All studies show that patients have fewer side effects if they have some form of control over their disease, we call it patient empowerment. This app makes this true. Moreover, we can also communicate more efficiently with the patient. He self-reports things like weight loss or skin rashes and there is contact only when really needed. You know we are short of hands in healthcare. This is a useful tool to deal with that. »

That it is precisely patients with prostate cancer for whom this system is being rolled out should not be surprising, says Bram. They are (mostly) still in an age group that deals with digital apps and therefore don’t have to overcome a learning curve. « Moreover, they can also quietly read up on information about their illness in the app. This is not an unnecessary luxury. People who receive a cancer diagnosis often remember only 1/3rd of the information they are given. Purely because of the panic reaction. »

At a later stage, patients with other cancers and chronic conditions will also have access to the app, Brice says. « One of the challenges was to capture all the data and integrate it into the hospital information system. The IBIS portal played an important role in this. This allows us to implement and deploy the system once for patients with multiple conditions and also more easily involve loved ones and family carers. »

Liège, 20 Décembre 2023 – ComuniCare has been certified by the French Agence du Numérique en Santé (ANS) as a Digital Medical Device (DMD), enabling it to be reimbursed for remote monitoring of four chronic diseases in France.

France is at the forefront in Europe when it comes to funding digital medical applications. Following on from the Telemedicine Experiments for the Improvement of Health Care Paths (ETAPES) program, which came to an end on July 1, 2023, the Official Journal of June 24, 2023 published decrees including four generic telemedicine lines on the list of telemedicine activities as of July 1, 2023. By 2021, ComuniCare had already been officially approved by the French Ministry of Social Affairs and Health as a solution compliant with the ETAPES program specifications.

As early as March 2023, ComuniCare was submitted to the ANS for certification as compliant with the interoperability and security guidelines for digital medical devices as part of its entry into common law. The ANS has verified that the solution complies with the requirements of the interoperability and security repository for Digital Medical Devices of the « Generic Line » pathway, as well as the requirements relating to four chronic pathologies (diabetes, heart failure, respiratory failure, renal failure), and issued the certificates on November 30, 2023.

Medical devices are an integral part of medical care, and those incorporating a digital function can generate a large amount of real-life data, paving the way for more personalized medicine. This data can be used, for example, to reinforce follow-up between two consultations, contribute to therapeutic support, anticipate complications, or improve coordination between healthcare professionals.

Certification of compliance with the interoperability and security standards for digital medical devices is designed to guarantee the exchange, sharing, security and confidentiality of patient health data. It will also enable the system to be reimbursed by the French Assurance Maladie, thereby guaranteeing operators a sustainable level of remuneration.

Click here for a list of certified solutions

Liège, November 30, 2023 – In the face of COVID-19 and potential future pandemics, we needed a solution that empowers patients, aids healthcare professionals, and accelerates research efforts. Enter the Comunicare App, developed with the collaboration of patients and healthcare providers.

For Patients and Citizens:
Comunicare enables individuals to access personalised information and self-management functionalities, putting them in control of their healthcare journey. With this app, patients become active participants in their health journey.

For Healthcare Professionals:
A follow-up dashboard for caregivers that provides data and analytics based on patient-reported outcomes. The platform is envisioned to integrate in the future a multifactorial decision support system, facilitating the analysis of various data types.

For Researchers:
Comunicare aims to streamlines COVID-19 research studies through trial Patient Decision Aids, a patented-pending solution enabling patients to inform themselves about relevant clinical studies, compare them whenever needed with the standard of care and capture their preferences for a well-informed decision. The objective is for researchers to be able to conduct more efficient and accessible research, ultimately contributing to a better understanding of the virus and potential future pandemics.

Liège, October 4 2023 – A study highlighted the technical feasibility of telemedicine for post-operative follow-up in orthopedic surgery, with a high patient satisfaction rate in terms of patient/doctor interaction, impact on daily life, and usability.

Telemedicine has recently seen significant developments, particularly during the 2020 pandemic, when numerous teleconsultations were set up to ensure continuity of care. Studies suggest that telemedicine holds great promise for remote medical and surgical follow-up, with efficacy equivalent to that of face-to-face care, even in the context of post-operative follow-up.

Objectives et method 

The aim of this study was to evaluate patient satisfaction with a post-operative follow-up combining a teleconsultation with a face-to-face consultation in the orthopedic surgery department of CHU St-Pierre in Brussels, with the teleconsultation replacing the first post-operative consultation. The qualitative, prospective, observational study was conducted over a 2-month period.

According to the protocol’s main inclusion criteria, patients had to be of legal age, able to use a smartphone and enter one of the following 4 pathways: removal of osteosynthesis material, operated fracture of the upper or lower limb, knee arthroscopy and forefoot surgery, in the pre- or post-operative phase. After enrolment, patients are invited to download the Comunicare application, which provides access to information modules, sign and symptom monitoring, clinical questionnaires tailored to their pathology, and a teleconsultation module. At the end of the teleconsultation, patients are invited to complete a satisfaction questionnaire.

Results 

Of 53 patients treated in the targeted care paths over the period, 34 were eligible, 30 of whom agreed to be included in the study. In the end, 27 patients benefited from teleconsultation, 22 of them via the Comunicare application (5 teleconsultations could not be carried out via Comunicare due to the hospital’s network being cut off following a computer attack). Concerning the use of the information and follow-up modules, 15 of the patients considered that Comunicare improved access to care, given the grouping and quantity of information provided by the application, and 6 indicated that the information provided had encouraged them to learn more about their pathology.
Overall, 92.6% to 100% of patients said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the surgeon’s attitude, the information received and the teleconsultation. As for the preference between a teleconsultation and a face-to-face consultation, 81.5% of responses were positive or very positive, while the reservations expressed (11 patients, or 50%) concerned the lack of a physical examination.

Conclusions 

The study highlighted the technical feasibility of teleconsultations, with a high level of patient satisfaction in terms of patient/doctor interaction, impact on daily life, and usability. The main source of patient satisfaction is time savings. The main perceived disadvantage is the absence of a physical examination. Information and sign/symptom monitoring functionalities were little encouraged and therefore little used, but perceived positively by patients. Finally, as this study focused on patient satisfaction, it did not address the problems associated with the internal organization within the hospital for the implementation and generalization of such a practice.

Liège, October 5, 2023 – Following the call 37 launched by BioWin, the Gloria project is the result of a consortium between the coordinating company Eonix, in partnership with two other companies, Comunicare Solutions and Kedroz, and the universities UCLouvain and UMons.

Eonix, Comunicare Solutions, Kedroz, UCLouvain and UMons, working together as a consortium, have been granted EUR 3.2 million in funding from Wallonia as part of a call for projects launched by BioWin, the health cluster of Wallonia. Their project, Gloria (Global Rapid and Innovative DNA Analysis), set to run for 48 months with a total budget of 4.2 million euros, aims to develop a secure platform to enable citizens to store their digital DNA, opening the door to advanced analyses of complex common diseases and certain rare diseases.

Today, the emergence of genetic tests and falling costs make it possible to inform anyone about their propensity to develop a pathology, as well as the means of reducing the probability of its occurrence (primary prevention), its extent (secondary prevention) and the most effective treatments. However, a growing number of genetic tests are ordered directly over the Internet, and studies show an increase in tests carried out by Europeans on platforms located outside Europe. The quality of these online tests is questionable, and without a secure framework, there is a real risk that parallel and recreational medicine will develop, without the supervision of health professionals.

The project called “GLORIA – Global Rapid and Innovative DNA Analysis” emerged from collaborations between healthcare experts who share the vision to develop patient-centered solutions for the benefit of personalised medicine. Their mutual ambition is to create the first European platform to provide citizens with a secure vault in which to store their digital DNA, enabling analyses to be carried out using computer-based risk profiling tools for complex common diseases and certain rare diseases.

Such a platform based in Wallonia is in line with the Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3) and more particularly with the roadmap of the Strategic Innovation Domain (DIS2 ), “Innovations for enhanced health” set up by the Walloon government and the Strategic Innovations Initiative (IIS) MedReSyst.

The consortium is delighted with this upcoming technology: “The funding will enable the creation of a new company at the end of the project, as well as maintaining around 40 direct and indirect jobs in Wallonia. What’s more, thanks to a business model that is independent of reimbursements from regional or national social security systems, this project will facilitate rapid international deployment.”

Liège, 26 Mai 2023 – Within the Stroke2gether project, a full-fledged digital care path is being developed, applied and valorized for persons after stroke.
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« Stroke2gether aims to create a sustainable application that generates impact for the patient and healthcare system. A transmural digital pathway adapted to the needs of the patient after stroke. »

A digital integrated care and lifestyle path after stroke

Within the Stroke2gether project, a fully-fledged digital integrated lifestyle and care path is being developed, applied and valorised for people after a stroke.

This integrated lifestyle and care path is evidenced-based, focused on medical follow-up and monitoring as well as health prevention, via monitoring, education and coaching, both live and remote. As a result, the patient and his/her care providers interact in a smooth way. Treatment results are also reliably shared and adjusted.

Project partners

With the support of

The project receives financial support from ERDF Flanders. Stroke2gether runs from 1 December 2020 to 30 June 2023.

Liège, October 18, 2022 – Comunicare Solutions obtains ISO-27001 and HDS (Health Data Hosting) certifications.

The protection and confidentiality of patient data has been a priority for COMUNICARE SOLUTIONS from the beginning. Our platform has been designed according to the « privacy-by-design » principle and we are constantly working on continuous improvement.

ISO-27001 is the international standard for information systems security, the implementation of which ensures that the company applies best practices in information security management.
HDS certification is a regulatory requirement for providers hosting personal health data in France. HDS certification is based on ISO 27001 certification to meet data security challenges and is enhanced by additional requirements in connection with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the health sector. This certification was obtained as a « hosting provider » for the provision of virtual infrastructure, software platform, administration/operation and outsourced backup.

These certifications testify to the development of our business, both internationally and particularly in France, and to our commitment to assure our customers and patients that information security requirements are respected. It is also the result of the collaborative work of a professional and motivated team which demonstrates its commitment to continually improve its practices.

The certifications were issued by AFNOR for a period of 3 years with the obligation of an annual audit.

Liège, march 30th, 2022 – Study shows added value of a digital follow-up by a pharmacist for patients with type 2 diabetes

ULiège, Multipharma and Comunicare announce the results of a pre-experimental study.

An estimated one million people in Belgium suffer from diabetes. Comprehensive advice from a health advisor and digital apps that help them monitor certain parameters can make all the difference for these patients.

That’s why ULiège, in collaboration with Multipharma and Comunicare, conducted a study on the impact of educational support by the pharmacist in combination with the use of a mobile health app in patients with type 2 diabetes.

The results of this study are very promising. Health coaching by a pharmacist, combined with the use of a mobile health application, can help patients with type 2 diabetes to better control their disease.

Diabetes on the rise in Belgium

In Belgium, it is estimated that 8% of Belgians have diabetes, which corresponds to about 1 million Belgians. In reality, this figure is probably even higher, as one in three patients is not diagnosed. Because of these high and constantly increasing figures and the possible complications of this disease, we can say that diabetes is a real public health problem.

A multidisciplinary approach is necessary

Lifestyle adaptation, complemented by drug treatment if necessary, can prevent complications, improve the patient’s quality of life and reduce mortality. To achieve this, a multidisciplinary approach is essential.

The pharmacist – given his or her crucial role in primary care – can make a real difference. Not only by providing pharmaceutical care, but also by organizing educational sessions that encourage the diabetic patient to get involved in their own health care. And certainly at the beginning of their treatment, when they are not yet on a care pathway.

Collaboration between ULiège, Multipharma and Comunicare

ULiège, in collaboration with Multipharma and Comunicare and with the support of Novo Nordisk, has set up a study on the impact of educational support by the pharmacist and the use of a mobile health application in patients with type 2 diabetes. The application used has two interfaces, one for the patient and one for the pharmacist, and allows communication between the two. Through this application, patients can set reminders for taking their medications, enter health parameters or consult information sheets on their pathology and treatment.

The goal of this intervention is to encourage patients to actively participate in the monitoring of their disease and to adopt favorable health habits, particularly to increase their therapeutic adherence.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of the coaching on primary parameters (HbA1c and MARS-5 treatment adherence score), which provide a good estimate of therapeutic adherence, and on secondary parameters (HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, BMI, and waist circumference), which are related to the monitoring of the diabetic patient.

The quantitative pre-experimental study was conducted on 66 patients, 50 of whom completed the study, over a 6-month period with 3 data collection periods (baseline, midterm, and end of study).

Statistical analyses did not immediately show an improvement in adherence. However, significant results were observed for changes in systolic blood pressure and waist circumference. All other parameters examined, including HbA1c, also showed a positive change or stabilization between the beginning and end of the study.

This study showed that a follow-up by the pharmacist, combined with the use of a mobile health application, can achieve the therapeutic intent of the physician-initiated treatment and have a beneficial impact on the management of patients with type 2 diabetes as well as on parameters considered cardiovascular risk factors.