The collaborative hub  that brings together players in healthcare innovation.

H4 in short Why innovate in healthcare The H4 team

H4 in short

H4 was launched in January 2022 by the La Source Institute, in collaboration with three departments of the Canton of Vaud: economy and innovation, education, and healthcare.

Its main mission is to support individuals and companies, from start-ups to SMEs, who have an idea or an innovative project in healthcare.

H4 provides analysis, guidance and services to:

  • Assess the relevance of a project, its progress and its risks
  • Identify critical actions needed to evolve the project
  • Launch a productive and decisive pilot phase
  • Facilitate access to experts, users and infrastructures
  • Submit the project to health experts for assessment and advice
  • Find partners and funding sources for a pilot study

In order to achieve this, H4 analyzes each request from a strategic and operational point of view.
H4 can also rely on a large community of renowned experts and partners with a strong interest in innovation. This collaborative and pragmatic healthcare-oriented approach complements Canton of Vaud’s current innovation support offer and enables the rapid development of effective innovations adapted to the specific needs of the healthcare field.

Why innovate in healthcare

Innovating in healthcare

Innovating in healthcare means improving the health and well-being of populations by focusing on the entire life cycle and particularly on the caregiver-patient relationship. Innovating in this context means improving practices and technologies in a sustainable way.

 

Continuity of care

Aging, the increase in chronic pathologies, cost control, the end of hospital-centricity and the rise in digital technologies require more effective management throughout the patient’s healthcare journey. Innovating makes it possible to guarantee a coherent approach with perfect coordination of all stakeholders.

 

Access to healthcare

Access to healthcare and services is linked to economic, physical, and cultural aspects. Innovating with the implementation of new technologies and processes makes it possible to facilitate access to healthcare for all, while ensuring not to create new barriers.

 

Home care

A person who is ill or experiencing a loss of autonomy must be able to remain at home in the best possible living conditions with guaranteed access to quality care. Innovating on several fields – medical, ergonomic and economic services, etc. – while strengthening interprofessional cooperation and the link with family and caregivers contributes to meet this challenge.

Collaboration in healthcare

Patients, caregivers and relatives work together around patient’s health and care at different times and places. This requires significant coordination. Innovating can facilitate this alliance, with the right level of information sharing, better decision support, etc.

 

The team

The coordination and monitoring of projects and the community are carried out by H4’s multidisciplinary team, with the support of its clinical, academic, economy and industrial partners.

Thierry DAGAEFF

PhD, EPFL Eng.,

Operation and Project Manager

Thierry Dagaeff is a Ph.D. and an EPFL engineer. His career has taken him from physics to healthcare innovation, through artificial intelligence research and technological innovation. In addition to his experience in academia, he has worked with large companies, startups, and SMEs. This background allows him to build bridges between these worlds and propose successful innovation strategies. He brings a systemic approach to H4 in the organization and monitoring of innovative healthcare projects and in the creation and management of innovation and healthcare events.

 

 

 

Dr Dominique TRUCHOT-CARDOT

MD, Full Professor HES,

Clinical and Academic Coordinator

A physician by training and a political science graduate, Dominique has deep expertise in healthcare systems and policies. Known for her ability to build interprofessional connections, she adds a touch of brilliance to the digital and technological healthcare journey at H4.

 

 

The canton of Vaud and La Source Institute

H4 is funded by the State of Vaud, which recognizes the importance of innovation in healthcare

The project represents an investment of 3 million francs over 5 years.

Half will be funded by the State of Vaud and the other half by La Source Institute.

Through H4, the canton of Vaud is strengthening its position as a leading healthcare hub. It complements the canton’s existing support for innovation and contributes to the integration of innovative tools and practices in healthcare.

The Source, meanwhile, continues its tradition of innovation in healthcare and uses its expertise to contribute to patient safety, quality of care for the people of Vaud, and excellence in the education of the next generation of nurses.