Chronic conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease require long-term treatment. Yet many patients discontinue or struggle to follow their medication and lifestyle recommendations, resulting in poorer health outcomes and increased strain on healthcare systems.
WP2 addresses this challenge by conducting qualitative research across Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden. Semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and patient journey mapping are used to explore real-world barriers - particularly among hard-to-reach groups, ethnic minorities, and caregivers.
The findings inform the creation of patient personas, the identification of critical moments in care, and the design of targeted support strategies. Hackathons bring together patients, healthcare professionals, and industry partners to co-create both digital and analogue solutions. These insights feed directly into the CAREPATH Toolbox, which will later be tested and implemented to improve adherence and persistence in chronic care.
WP2 aims to generate concrete knowledge about the barriers to treatment adherence and persistence and to transform these insights into practical solutions. Through the co-development of personalised and flexible support tools, the project seeks to improve day-to-day treatment management, strengthen patient autonomy, and ultimately achieve better health outcomes.
WP2 actively involves patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals at every stage of the process. Their lived experiences and professional insights shape interviews, focus groups, and hackathons, ensuring that the solutions developed are grounded in real-world needs rather than abstract theory. This inclusive design approach fosters trust, relevance, and a higher likelihood of adoption.
WP2 responds to one of the most persistent challenges in modern healthcare: patients often discontinue or struggle with their treatments for chronic conditions, even when effective therapies are available. This results in worsening health, avoidable complications, and rising healthcare costs. By examining why adherence and persistence fail and how support can be strengthened, WP2 contributes directly to improving patient outcomes and enhancing system sustainability.
The findings from WP2 feed directly into the CAREPATH Toolbox - a collection of digital and analogue tools adaptable to diverse healthcare systems. This enables healthcare professionals to offer personalised guidance, while patients gain access to practical aids -such as reminder systems, health literacy resources, or communication tools -that help them stay on track with long-term treatments. These improvements not only enhance adherence and persistence but also reduce unnecessary hospitalisations and healthcare costs.
WP2 brings together partners from six countries: Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden - each with distinct healthcare contexts. This diversity ensures that the solutions developed are not confined to a single system or culture but are broadly applicable across Europe. International collaboration also facilitates the sharing of best practices and the development of strategies that are both locally relevant and globally informed.
University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)
TGO - project CAREPATH
PO Box 30.001
9700 RB Groningen
The Netherlands
Visiting address
University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)
TGO - project CAREPATH
Hanzeplein 1
9713 GZ Groningen
Location: Entrance 47, Oostersingel
