Additive Manufacturing (AM) is proving to be a disruptive enabling technology with a huge potential to be applied in the Health Sector (HS) . If there was still any doubt, the current situation with COVID19 has shown the potential, flexibility and agility of this technology to answer critical situations (1). Then why has not been globally integrated in hospitals? There are recognised barriers to the integration of AM in HS, one of them being the lack of knowledge and skills on the use of technology and the related organizational models (2). ALADDIN aims to contribute to this integration by developing a specific training programme on AM in Hospitals (as health cornerstones they will have a multiplying effect in the whole HS) for two key players identified in the European value chain on AM medical devices (3): - health professionals working in hospitals (doctors, surgeons, biotechnologists, ...) - engineering students for their future incorporation into the health sector. It will have the next specific objectives: - Develop an innovative training on AM in Hospitals. (First version m12 final version m24). - Assess the training programme, the materials and the contents developed through pilot training courses. - Disseminate project results to the main stakeholders at European Level. It is estimated to reach 5000 stakeholders (see Follow-up section for more information). - Exploit project results after the end of the project. The execution of the Project will be structured according to: 1. Development of Training Methodology and the Teaching guide. 2. Development of Training Contents. 3. Development of the E-learning Platform. 4. Pilot Training activities. Consortium is composed by 6 members with complementary capacities and in charge of different project activities. - AIMPLAS, the Technological Institute of Plastics with more than 500 associated companies. They have participated in more than 100 EU projects (FP5, FP6, FP7, LIFE+, EcoInnova. & H2020). AIMPLAS will coordinate the project and will be in charge of the Development of the Training Contents. - Jobs@skills (Belgium) is an incubator of high level innovative lifelong-learning training programs located in Belgium. They gather local universities, higher education schools and local public training centers around strategic and innovative training topics. Very much active in “New ways of learning”, with lot of expertise, methodologies and top level equipments to produce Digital learning and Hybrid learning products such as MOOCS, SPOCS, Webinars, Virtual classrooms, Gamification. They will be in charge of the Development of the Training Methodology. - The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre is part of the AMRC Group, a cluster of world-class centres for industry-focused research and development of technologies used in high-value manufacturing sectors. It has a global reputation and has become a model for collaborative research involving universities, academics and industry, worldwide. AMRC will be in charge of the Development of the Eplatform. - ITEMAS aims to promote innovation in medical technology as an essential tool in making the Spanish National Health System more sustainable. The core of the ITEMAS comprises the innovation units of 30 large hospitals, in addition to the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality and the National Centre for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC). They will be in charge of the Validation Actions as well as of the quality assurance of the project. - NUI Galway representing the Translational Medical Device Lab & Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI). Partnership of clinical and academic centres. HIHI works directly with 23 public hospitals in Ireland.. HIHI will be in charge of the Exploitation and Sustainability activities of the project. - The European Hospital and Healthcare Federation (HOPE) is a European non-profit association that includes national hospital associations or representatives from national hospital owners’ organisations of the 27 Member States of the European Union. HOPE members cover almost 80% of hospital activity in the EU. They will be in charge of Communication Activities. The main results of the project will be the Training on AM for health professionals working in hospitals and engineering students for their future incorporation into the health sector, which will have an impact at long term by allowing HS to get the most of AM technology so it will on one side contribute to increase the quality of the Healthcare system and on the other increase the competitivity of the AM Industry. (1) https://www.euractiv.com/section/digital/news/eu-industry-touts-3d-printing-as-immediate-solution-to-covid-19-shortages/ (2) The future of Health Care. Potential impacts and models of 3D printing in the Health Care sector. Deloitte 2018 (3) https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/kets-tools/sites/default/files/documents/analytical_report_nr6_3d_printed_medical_devices_fina
Increase the skillset of target groups in relation to the specificities and potential applications of AM Technologies in Hospitals, so they both speak the same language. It is not the objective that the medical professionals can manufacture and print by themselves or the engineers and technicians define the right treatment for the patients. It is that both profiles work as a team in a complementary and coordinated way. The actions to achieve this: - To develop innovative training on AM for target groups. The training will be customized according each target group (First version m14 final version m24). - To assess the training methodology, contents and e-platform through the execution of pilot training courses. - To disseminate project results to main stakeholders (m1 to m24) at European Level. We have to reach 5.000 stakeholders (that belong to contacts networks of the involved partners) through Dissemination Activities.
Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a disruptive technology. On the other hand, the Health Sector (HS) is very relevant, not only due to its economic impact but also due to the direct impact on increasing the people’s quality of life. AM brings value to the HS in many medical applications through:High added value of customization, Small batch size, Design complexity, Low weight and Drastic assembly reduction. The global 3D printing healthcare market size is projected to reach $3,692 million by 2026. There is no doubt that COVID crisis will change how our Health Systems are managed and that, in the future, there will be other similar crisis. Thus, there is a clear need to integrate AM technologies in Hospitals to be better prepared for future crisis. CONSTRAINTS The value chain for the AM medical devices is complex, requiring the involvement of actors from different backgrounds. Lack of knowledge and skills on the capabilities and the use of technology and the related organizational models. NEED Increase the knowledge and skills of target groups to stablish a common language. TARGET GROUPS Health professionals working in Hospitals (doctors, surgeon, biotechnologists...) Engineering students for their future incorporation into the HS.