Com.HeNet

Competences in Health Network Management

Project leadership: Prof. Dr. habil. Manfred Cassens, research director of the Institute of Health & Social Affairs (ifgs) at FOM University

The Erasmus+ project "Competences in Health Network Management (Com.HeNet)" goes on from September 1, 2019 to August 31, 2022. It aims to develop curriculum modules for "Health Network Management" (HNM) with a European standard, which enables a health professional to implement and manage a health network (HN) on regional level.

The creation of these resources has been (partially) funded by the ERASMUS+ grant program of the European Union under grant no. 2019 1 DE01 KA203 005025. Neither the European Commission nor the project's national funding agency NA DAAD are responsible for the content or liable for any losses or damage resulting of the use of these resources.

News

Dissemination: List

Com.HeNet: Public relations & dissemination list

In the Competences in Health Network Management (Com.HeNet) project, national and international publications were produced. The publications are available in Open Access. In addition, the project and its results were presented at national and international conferences and also described on various websites and blogs. All publications and project presentations are available in the file.

» download PR & dissemination list (PDF)

Pilot testing of teaching modules for the training of regional health network managers

In May 2022, the Com.HeNet teaching modules for training regional health network managers were piloted in Budapest. A total of 21 representatives from the international health sector and eleven lecturers from the participating institutions were present. The teaching modules were evaluated positively: in particular, their interdisciplinary structure and the interactive teaching methods were extolled. In addition to the learning successes, the pilot testing was a celebration of European friendship!

Virtualization of the 2nd Transnational Project Meeting

The 2nd transnational project meeting was virtualized. The international project team met on September 8, 2020 to discuss findings from the first intellectual output (IO1). Through expert interviews and extensive literature research, the partners identified the country-specific and transnational competences of a regional health network manager. The team also talked about the next intellectual output (IO2), where the country-specific findings will be transferred into a cross-country competence profile. The partners of the Technical University Sofia are currently developing a digital support platform to support regional health network managers.

Importance of basic knowledge and skills in discourse

The Com.HeNet project took part in the EPALE discussion: Basic skills learning provision on September 16 and 17, 2020. At the virtual event, the acquisition of basic skills was discussed. These include health literacy and basic digital skills for the future. Additionally, the Com.HeNet project was presented. In particular, the training of future regional health network managers was particularly discussed. The focus of the event was on basic skills.

Successful start - Competences in Health Network Management

In September 2019, the new international research project "Com.HeNet - Competences in Health Network Management" (Project ID: 2019-1-DE01-KA203-005025) started in the Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships funding line. The international partners’ first meeting took place on November 29, 2019 in Vienna. During the meeting, the first steps in the project were discussed.

Com.HeNet focusses on developing curriculum modules for the training and further education of so-called "Health Network Managers". Since the political, social, cultural and economic structures and situations throughout the partner countries’ health sectors differ greatly, the different circumstances are initially assessed. Building on this, the partners will analyze the required competencies and skills needed by a regional Health Network Manager should be provided in order to efficiently network all relevant players in the health sector.

In the further course of the project, a core competence profile will be developed on the basis of all data collected from the partner countries and compared with relevant European competence frameworks. With the help of the competence profile and other collected data, a curriculum will be developed, which will be finalized after a pilot testing. In addition, IT specialists at TU Sofia are developing a description of the relevant digital skills and a data management system that will significantly support the work of a Health Network Manager. All materials and documents developed in the Com.HeNet project will be made available on an open access platform.

Project results

IO1: Development of national competence profiles needed for a Health Network Manager

Intellectual Output 1 contains the national competences that are conducive to the management of health regions. The results are based on interviews with experts from the health sector and on literature research. The national competence profiles refer to the following countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Spain.

» Download IO1 National Competence Profiles

IO2: Development of a core competence profile for a Health Network Manager (on regional level)

Intellectual Output 2 is a European competence profile. The profile was created based on the national profiles (IO1). It identifies competences, skills and personal qualities that are conducive to regional health network management.

» Attitudes and soft skills

» Regional Health Network Manager Competence and Competency Profile

IO3: Development of content and materials for the online course and development of the curriculum modules "Health Network Management"

Intellectual Output 3 is a set of six teaching units which forms an education and further training module for regional health network management, based on IO1 and IO2. The teaching module is created as blended learning for 5ECTS. Access to the module is available at: https://learning.henet.ict.academy/login/signup.php. You will need an access key to register. Please contact yvonne.behrens@fom.de.

The Com.HeNet textbook about the teaching modules is available » here (PDF).

The module and all materials have been piloted and positively evaluated by teachers and participants.

IO4: Data Management in Health Networks

Intellectual Output 4 describes a possible data management system in regional health networks. It also includes a description of the competences needed to use the data management system. The result is based on the analysis of IO1, IO2 and IO3.

» Download IO4

Abstract

The project aims to develop curriculum modules for "Health Network Management" (HNM) with a European standard, which enables a health professional to implement and manage a health network (HN) on regional level. To get an efficient overview about the needed competences for this HN manager and the given structural and environmental circumstances, these competences will be analysed through desktop research and structured/guided interviews with relevant stakeholders and experts in the participating countries and envolved into national competence profiles. Based on the national competence profiles, a core competence profile will be developed for an HNM through comparison of all information gathered and a collation with relevant European Competence Frameworks and European Qualification Framework (EQF).

Furthermore, important objectives are new curriculum modules designed for EQF level 6 with content and materials based on the developed core competence profile. These curriculum modules will be tested through a pilot training with participants representing the proposed target groups of degree holders in health and health professionals. The modules will then be reviewed based on the pilot training and the training participants’ and trainers’ feedback.

Additionally, an important objective of Com.HeNet is the description of a Data Management System and the development of a guideline for digital skills and competences, on the basis and with the use of the Digital Competence Framework for Citizens (DigComp 2.1). Both will constitute additional, independent output of the project and be used for the development of the curriculum modules and for the HN implementation and management. These are important aspects because of the proceeding digitalization and the significance of digital data and information for improving health care and promotion of health.

As important outputs of the project, the curriculum modules are expected to get included into higher education and vocational education curricula to enable health professionals to implement and manage regional HNs in EU countries. In the long run, the project contributes to the improvement of regional supply structures in EU countries. In this way, Com.HeNet contributes to the EU Health Strategy. Therefore, the curriculum modules have an explicit European added value and will contribute to overcoming the mismatch between given and needed competences in health sector across the EU.

Project team

FOM

Offering mostly non-traditional adult students the chance to gain a scientific degree, mainly in the field of economics, without having to give up work or restrict other personal activity has been the objective of FOM University of Applied Sciences since its foundation in 1993. It offers academic qualifications with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees combined with special study-time models and digital educational services that allow a profession while studying.

With more than 55.000 students, FOM is Germany's biggest private institute of higher education. Research and development are of major importance at FOM and an important pillar of the guiding principle of the university. In 2016, FOM has been reaccredited by the German Council of Science and Humanities, Germany's most important advisory body for science policy. At the beginning of 2012, FOM was also the first private university in Germany to be accredited as an institution by the Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation and last got reaccredited in 2018.

Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia

The Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM) is a private university, with 20 years of history and more than 16.000 students, that offers 24 European official graduations, 35 Master’s programs, 17 PhD programs and other prestigious titles. UCAM is also offering a modern system of distance teaching.

Through study plans, which are adapted to market exigencies, obligatory internships in institutions and enterprises, and research programs in collaboration with big regional, national and multinational companies UCAM is strongly linked with the work world. UCAM is an institution that is in permanent dialogue with the modern world aiming for the improvement of human society as a whole. UCAM shares its values through academic subjects, voluntary projects, meetings, congresses and seminars.

Eötvös Loránd University

Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) was established in 1635 in Eötvös, Hungary. The eight faculties of ELTE offer a wide range of higher education: 45 Bachelor’s degree programs, 101 Master’s, 126 doctoral programs in 16 doctoral schools. The university has 28.400 students and around 1.800 academic staff members.

At the Department of Health Policy and Health Economics, scientific researches work in several fields of health policy, public health and health economics. The department has a widespread network of partner universities and higher education establishments all over Europe. Scientific activity includes for example measuring and analyzing health state inequities, evaluation of the performance of health care systems, health technology assessment, economic modelling, epidemiology and burden of diseases as well as evidence based public health.

Medical University of Silesia

The Medical University of Silesia (SUM) in Katowice was established in 1948 as the Medical Academy in Rokitnica Bytomska, Poland. Approximately 10,000 students study at five faculties. The Medical University of Silesia is constantly modernizing its didactic, research and clinical infrastructure. The University maintains and develops various forms of cooperation with foreign research centres and universities worldwide. Over the years, members of the SUM research staff have been receiving prestigious awards and are widely recognized for the excellent quality of their work, research and teaching.

The Faculty of Health Sciences primarily researches on the topics of public health and nutrition.

FH Joanneum

As an application-oriented university, FH JOANNEUM in Graz, Austria offers its students a practice-oriented education on a full-time or part-time basis, and cooperative programs with an interdisciplinary focus. The range of programs offered is designed with a view to meeting current international, commercial and technological challenges and the needs of industry, and with a focus on the future employability of the graduates. FH JOANNEUM is one of the first universities of applied sciences in Austria to extend its quality management system with the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model. The entire university achieved the level ‘Recognised for Excellence 4*’ in 2018 and is now rising to the challenge to maintain and further improve this performance.

The experts of the Institute of Health and Tourism Management develop, implement and evaluate health promotion, workplace health management and primary health care projects for the public sector, NGOs and SMEs. They are also involved in developing innovations in participatory health research, health impact assessment and in sports science.

Technical University of Sofia

The Technical University of Sofia is the largest Engineering Higher Education institution in Bulgaria. It has more than 11.000 students in the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in the fields of electrical and mechanical engineering, computer sciences, economics and management, engineering design, etc. It is staffed with more than 1.200 tenured and assistant professors, who are also active researchers in their fields. The university has participated in more than 1.200 international and national research projects.

The Faculty of German Engineering and Economics Education (FDIBA) was established in 1990 with a bilateral agreement between the German and Bulgarian governments. It teaches computer sciences, mechanical engineering, mechatronics, and economics and management in cooperation with leading German universities in the corresponding fields. The faculty has been funded by the German Academic Exchange Office (DAAD) and is its largest educational project in Eastern Europe. The faculty is very active in doing research, having 11 research labs and its own doctoral school.

Associated Partners:

Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL)

The Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL) works as an interdisciplinary authority and is a service provider for public health and consumer protection in Bavaria, Germany. The Health Regions^plus Central Office is part of the LGL and coordinates the currently 50 state-funded Health Regions^plus in Bavaria. The purpose of the Health Regions^plus is to improve population health by establishing and managing health networks on the municipal level in the fields of prevention and health promotion, health care and nursing care. As such, the Bavarian Health Regions^plus are an extensive approach towards Health Network Management (HNM). The LGL also operates an Academy for Health and Food Safety, which offers a comprehensive program of education and training for the public health and veterinary service, food control and the labor inspectorate. Therefore, the LGL has experience in the further training of professionals in health.

Bulgarian Red Cross

The Bulgarian Red Cross has significant experience in the introduction of integrated care in remote communities, including care management, personnel training, introduction of telecare and teleassistance, etc.

Transnational Project Meetings

The predominantly virtual collaboration is accompanied by a total of six Transnational Project Meetings (TPM). The meetings take place in a partner's institute. Topics are the mutual agreement of project content as well as administrative matters.

1. TPM 2019: FH Joanneum, Austria

2. TPM 2020: Technical University of Sofia, Bulgaria

3. TPM 2020: Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia, Spain

4. TPM 2021: Medical University of Silesia, Poland

5. TPM 2021: Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary

6. TPM 2022: FOM University of Applied Sciences, Germany