PROJECT METHODOLOGY
The Project will follow the “lead partner principle” and the Lead Beneficiary (LB) will be main point of contact for JS/MA and for the project partners (in accordance with Article 13 of the ETC Regulation (EU) No 1299/2013). The LB takes on the responsibility for management, communication, implementation and co-ordination of activities among the involved partners and assumes the overall responsibility for the project towards the managing authority. HEALTH-INFO was developed in a way that ensures the achievement of the objectives jointly set by the PPs. Activities have been cooperatively scheduled in order to be realistic and feasible and have been further divided into 6 Work Packages
Work Package 1: “Project Management & Coordination”
Partners involved: all
WP1 relates to the actions that ensure the regular and timely implementation of the project, the Project Management. Considering that the coordination concerns the implementation of various components, including administrative and financial management, the LB will set up an efficient and reliable management and co-ordination system. Mr. Aggouris George will be assigned as Overall Project Manager (PM) responsible for the overall organization and co-ordination of the project activities and components, ensuring a day-to-day supervision through the continuous communication and collaboration with the other PBs (email, Skype, Dropbox, Google Drive, Google docs, Doodle, etc.). The Project Manager (PM) will be responsible for WP1, the project’s coordination and for reporting regularly to the Programme authorities.
In the HEALTH-INFO context, three Task Force meetings will be held, where all arising problems and any lagging on implementation will be discussed and managed by LPMs (Steering Group). The steering group discusses and officially approves all project relevant implementation rules, working plans, progress reports and financial issues. Controlling, monitoring, and evaluation of the project’s activities is also ensured by the steering group.
Moreover, WP1 includes the Evaluation activities, namely the drafting of the “Guidelines for the operation of the partnership–Code of Ethics”. The purpose of this Code is to instill confidence in the project management procedure. A Quality Board will be created in order to perform a periodic (ex-ante on 3rd month, mid-term 12th month and ex-post evaluation 24th month) internal assessment of the project’s outputs – products, according to the project’s Code of Ethics, using a concise assessment methodology. The QB will not meet physically, but will work mainly by means of communication media. The QB will be composed of 7 members (1 member for each Project Partner and the PM). Also, this board will monitor the compliance to ethics and regulations as appropriate, especially in relation to the horizontal principles of the Programme. PM of LB will lead the QB and therefore will participate in these conferences.
Finally, WP1 includes Audits. Certified experts will undertake the validation of partners’ financial reports, in accordance to programme’s rules. For the Greek beneficiaries the costs for expenditure verification are eligible and the expenditure verification costs are limited to 3% of Project Partners Budget.
Work Package 2: Communication & Dissemination
Partners involved: all
Two Conferences will be held. The opening conference will take place in Thessaloniki under the auspices of PB2 (3rd month) and the closing conference will take place in Gevgelja under the auspices of PB4 (24th month). All Partners will participate in the opening conference in order to present the goal of their organization regarding the project implementation as well as the actions which will be implemented by them. Also, every project partner will participate in the closing conference in order to present each organization’s outputs and results. These two conferences aim to disseminate the goal of HEALTH-INFO and familiarize the target groups as well as the general population with the project’s values. Moreover, two Info-days will also be held. The first will take place in Gevgelja under the auspices of PB5 (10th month) and the second Info-day will take place in Thessaloniki under the auspices of LB (17th month). The goal of these Info Days events is to present the HEALTH-INFO project, as well as to ensure widespread dissemination of the Project’s achieved objectives. Via these Info-day events, the audience will be informed about the future project activities so that they can actively participate in them. The wide public participation in these actions will increase the project’s chances of success.
WP2 includes the Promotional Material of the project. Publications such as leaflets, brochures, notebooks and newsletters will be produced in order to communicate the results of the actions to specific audiences (target groups). 4-page brochures will be used in order to inform the general population and especially the project’s target groups regarding the project’s activities. LB will be responsible to create the Brochures’ blueprints (1 blueprint per year) in Greek Language. These blueprints must be in line with the Project’s Communication Strategy, as well as with the “Communication and Visibility Manual” (EC, 2010).
According to the Project Implementation Manual of the INTERREG IPA CBC Programme “Greece – North Macedonia 2014 – 2020”, the consortium must publish at least one booklet/brochure with project results. The Project’s Results Publication will give an overview of what HEALTH-INFO changed from its start to its end. LB is responsible for the drafting of this final publication.
The consortium will also develop a Project Site for the project’s Promotion through Internet and Media. LB’s staff will develop this site that will provide information about the Project, its progress, deliverables and results. Moreover, PB5 and PB6 will prepare video materials from the educational trainings for the target groups and from the medical screenings. These materials will be shared trough the PB5’s web site. PB5 and PB6 will also prepare press releases and information on the project, which will be shared through local media and social media accounts (Facebook, etc.).
Finally, WP2 includes the project’s Communication Strategy and Plan. Project partners are required to dedicate sufficient time and resources to project communication, at all stages of the project development. “Communications” must be understood as a strategic project tool, which contributes to achieving the project’s objectives. Each project is therefore required to develop its own communication strategy, leading to a specific mix of tools and actions, based on what they expect their project to achieve. Furthermore, a Project communication plan will be drafted by the LB containing the Project’s Communication Strategy, Communication Objectives, the Target Groups, Specific Objectives for each target group, Communication Activities’ presentation, Communication Tools’ presentation and Indicators’ presentation.
Work Package 3: Research and Studies
Partners involved: LB, PB2, PB4, PB5 and PB6
WP3 includes a study named Mapping of needs, infrastructures and resources, which will be carried out by the LB for the Greek regions and PB4 for the North Macedonia regions. Population and social characteristics, epidemiological and clinical data will be collected, along with data about the resources used. All available public infrastructures (health and social services) will be assessed and described in a way that the decision-makers will be able to make decisions based on available evidence. WP3 also includes a Study named Data Collection & Evaluation. This deliverable will operate as a Research Study Management tool and will be carried out by PB2, PB5 and PB6.
Work Package 4: Educational programs and skill strengthening
Partners involved: LB, PB2, PB4, PB5 and PB6
HEALTH-INFO includes an integrated set of educational activities aiming to improve the quality of life and health of children and the elderly in the regions of implementation through the development of three axes of intervention. More specifically, WP4 includes the Educational program for general population, which is the first axis of intervention. The First Axis refers to educational programs in the field of preventive medicine for the general population, parents and vulnerable groups who live in the cross-border regions of implementation.
The first axis will be carried out by LB and PB2 for the Greek side and by PB4, PB5 and PB6 for the North Macedonia side. The educational program will focus in two areas:
a) Education about health issues for women including breast, ovarian and uterine cancer as well as screening principles and benefits,
b) Common medical emergencies affecting children and the elderly.
The Educational program for local doctors is the second axis of intervention resulting in the skill strengthening of local doctors. These educational programs will be more advanced, with specialized subjects in the fields of breast cancer and gynecological cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, in the context of these seminars, the LB will inform healthcare professionals who work in the regions of implementation regarding the operation of an e-Platform.
For the North Macedonia side, PB4 will organize educational programs for radiologists and radiology technicians from Bitola and Gevgelija. They will be educated on the project as well on the best practices related to examination and early detection of breast cancer. For the Greek side, each seminar will include one presentation from the LPM in the field of cancer, one presentation from the external medical doctor in the field of prevention, diagnosis and treatment and two presentations from guest speakers related to the field of training.
The Practical Training on mannequins is the third axis of intervention, which aims to improve the skills of ordinary people in emergency and rescue services. The third axis will be solely implemented on the Greek side by PB2 and will focus in two areas:
a) CPR and choking first aid (infant/child CPR) courses
b) CPR and choking first aid (elder CPR) courses The activity’s target group is the parents and caregivers. These two groups of people should be encouraged to take CPR and choking first aid courses in order to be ready to provide help to the infants and children (Program’s emerging target group).
Work Package 5: Development of the Unified Information System
Partners involved: LB, PB4, PB5 and PB6
WP5 concerns the development of the electronic platform consisting of three basic, fully interconnected subsystems. LB is responsible for the creation of the e-Platform. Its development will be implemented in four stages that are analyzed as follows:
System Implementation phases
Α1.1 PHASE 1 – Existing Condition Assessment and Necessity – Implementation Study
A1.2 PHASE 2 – Supply of required supporting equipment
Α1.3 PHASE 3 – Implementation of a single Health Insurance File Data Sheet
A1.4 PHASE 4 – Development and Publication of printed information material
The e-Platform has several advantages, such as:
1. Added value in the existing Health Insurance File by enriching data from other countries (hospital information, medication, diagnostic test results, etc.)
2. Possibility of statistical reports relating to cross-border care
3. The cooperation of Greece with North Macedonia can act as a “pilot” project, which then spreads to other countries
The Ministry of Health has established a national E- health system called “Moj termin”, which is implemented and used in all health institutions and institutions from all segments of health care. However, the newly created e-Platform should be compatible with the national system Moj termin. Thus, the personnel working in the E-health directorate will meet with the experts engaged in the development of the platform in order to be informed on its architecture, technical and functional characteristics, and all distinct parts of this information system. Additionally, they will provide relevant data needed to the consultants on the national E health system (involvement of PB4, PB5 and PB6).
Work Package 6: Mobile Unit, Pilot Preventive Program
Partners involved: LB, PB2, PB3, PB5 and PB6
The Mobile medical unit for children and elderly includes the following independent departments: Audiology, Gynecology, Breast Disease, General Practice and Diagnostic Ultrasound. The Mobile Unit will be acquired by PB3 and passed onto their ownership after the end of the project (in order to ensure the sustainability of project’s outputs) and will operate under the auspices of PB2. The LB’s contribution to the project team will be the provision of a driver.
Participants:
- Elderly men and women.
- Children. Only children who are accompanied by parents / guardians / educators and signed a relevant consent form are subject to screening.
Its objectives are as follows:
- To educate women for the necessity of screening services and the need of regular check –up.
- To provide screening services and enrollment of women who are traditionally difficult to reach.
- To achieve early detection of female cancer and therefore early treatment and better prognosis.
- The most important benefit from the operation of this mobile unit is the reduction in mortality and morbidity rates.
PB5 will purchase an ultrasound for breast echo diagnostic and PB6 will purchase a digital mammograph for the implementation of the pilot preventive program in the North Macedonia side. The screenings will be performed in the General Hospital Gevgelija and the Clinical Hospital Bitola and will consist of mammography, ultrasound breast examination and gynecological ultrasound examination with PAP test.
