Caring Technology Guide (CTG)

Can you introduce yourselves?

VITO is an independent Flemish research institute that provides scientific advice and develops technological innovations. Specifically, we conduct interdisciplinary research and large-scale pilot projects to accelerate the transition to a sustainable society, both in Flanders and globally. In health, we aim to enable innovative, preventive, and affordable healthcare. To achieve this, we develop measurement tools and data evaluation methods.

How did your project come about?

We noticed that healthcare organizations needed guidelines and practical tools to implement technological innovations in a caring and ethical way. The 8 principles for caring technology provide a framework for this. When the learning community of the 8 principles expressed a need for a tool to facilitate applying these principles, we decided to contribute. It’s also an opportunity for us to promote innovation and ethical standards in healthcare technologies within an ethical framework, aligning closely with our mission.

What does this tool entail?

The Caring Technology Guide is an interactive web application that provides step-by-step guidance to healthcare organizations for evaluating and implementing care innovations.
The tool will be available in English, Dutch, and French.

How are you proceeding?

In an initial research phase, we conducted interviews and workshops with Flemish healthcare professionals to test our tool.
We used an iterative process to gather feedback and integrate it into the tool, allowing us to continuously improve it.
Additionally, we compared the tool with the checklist developed by our partner Yuza.

Why is your project important?

The project contributes to improving the quality and efficiency of care technologies. By ensuring safe, reliable, and user-friendly technologies, the tool will help not only healthcare organizations but also patients.
Moreover, the project promotes international collaboration and knowledge exchange on the 8 principles within a global network of healthcare professionals and technologists.

What challenges have you had to overcome?

There were three major challenges during the process.
Developing a user-friendly online tool with extensive features required technological solutions such as creating an intuitive user interface and integrating feedback mechanisms.
For healthcare organizations to use the Caring Technology Guide effectively, we provided training and support to clarify the tool’s benefits and usage, which involved an intensive awareness-raising process.
Lastly, the tool continuously evolves based on feedback and new developments in healthcare technologies. This means the project team must regularly evaluate and update the tool.

What lessons have you learned from this process?

We have especially found that collaboration across various disciplines and stakeholders is crucial. To create a valuable tool, it’s essential to integrate input from healthcare professionals and technology developers.
An iterative process is key in this. The flexibility of our team has enabled us to respond effectively to evolving challenges. In the future, it will be necessary to organize information sessions and training so that healthcare organizations can and will effectively use the Caring Technology Guide.

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