Launch of the trial for the European JACARDI project (Joint Action on Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes
Patients from Trentino will test digital and educational tools for disease self-management
Patients from Trentino will test digital and educational tools for disease self-management.
The digital trial supporting patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease has begun. It is sponsored by the Autonomous Province of Trento, TrentinoSalute4.0, the Integrated University Healthcare System of Trentino (ASUIT Governance), and the clinical teams in cardiology and diabetology, who met today to kick off the pilot project.
The goal is to assess the impact of digital and educational tools on patient empowerment and disease self-management.
How does the pilot phase work? Through a study involving a sample of around 250 patients (with type 1 diabetes or heart failure), the TreC+ platform will integrate:
- remote monitoring of physiological parameters;
- dedicated video tutorials on proper nutrition, physical activity, medication adherence, and self-monitoring;
- assessment and follow-up questionnaires.
What does this mean in practice? Patient empowerment refers to the shift from a care model in which patients passively receive medical decisions to one in which they become active managers of their own health.
As a result, an “empowered” patient is someone who:
- seeks information and asks for clarification: understands their diagnosis, treatment, and risks, and asks their doctor for explanations without fear of seeming disrespectful;
- makes shared decisions: chooses a treatment plan together with specialists, weighing options based on their quality of life and personal values;
- manages daily life: knows how to monitor their condition at home, take medications properly, and prevent complications (a key aspect of chronic disease management);
- uses technology to their advantage: uses electronic health records, apps, and devices to monitor health metrics.
At the end of the study, researchers will evaluate whether the digital tools helped patients gain the awareness and skills needed to collaborate effectively with healthcare professionals in managing their condition.
The initiative is made possible by the Cardiology and Diabetology teams at ASUIT Trento, who are constantly striving to innovate patient care pathways.
What is JACARDI?
Funded by the European program EU4Health, JACARDI is a Joint Action on cardiovascular diseases and diabetes that aims to reduce the burden of these conditions across EU countries, for both individuals and communities.
The initiative involves the Autonomous Province of Trento, the Integrated University Healthcare System of Trentino (ASUIT), and the TrentinoSalute4.0 ecosystem, in collaboration with the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (the National Institute of Health, lead partner for Italy), several Italian regions, and numerous European partners.
