About DISTANCE:PRO
Improving prevention and therapies with digital solutions
Medical practices and regional hospitals are key institutions for healthcare delivery. These non-university settings also generate large volumes of medical data. In the Digital Hub DISTANCE, the research data structures of the Medical Informatics Initiative (MII) were extended to medical facilities in regional care in order to improve treatment quality in the long term. The follow-up project DISTANCE:PRO builds on these achievements. The goal is to establish a nationwide, cross-sector digital ecosystem that more closely links research and healthcare.
Digital Progress Hub DISTANCE:PRO
Development of scalable, cross-sector, and interoperable infrastructures between regional healthcare providers and clinical research
Further development of the PICOS App for pre- and postoperative care, taking into account the needs of regional healthcare providers as well as patients
Support of patient self-care by enabling them to gain an overview of their physical and mental condition using the PICOS App
Close collaboration with eight regional care institutions and eight additional partners from science and research, led by University Hospital RWTH Aachen
Improving quality of care through cross-sector data exchange
The core of the DISTANCE project was the Digital Hub. It provided the basis for cross-sector, interoperable data exchange between university institutions, participating primary and standard care hospitals, and general practitioners. Data from routine care were centrally collected, anonymized, and made usable nationwide. A total of eight regional healthcare providers involved in the project were connected to the Digital Hub via the so-called Hub Connect Boxes, which are operated locally at the respective sites.
In DISTANCE:PRO, the data infrastructure of the Digital Hub will be expanded and established as an External Data Integration Center (XTDIZ), similar to those previously available only in university settings. With the XTDIZ, data from regional healthcare can be consolidated, harmonized, and used in a privacy-compliant manner for digital applications, AI-based prediction models, and research. DISTANCE:PRO also relies on telemedicine and the integration of wearables to improve continuous patient care.
Digital support along the treatment pathway
To test the data flow, structured longitudinal data from patients were recorded digitally for the first time in DISTANCE using an app during and after intensive care treatment. The PICOS App supported former intensive care patients in their everyday self-care by regularly aggregating information on their physical and mental well-being. At the same time, large volumes of data were generated to support research into new treatment and therapy options for former intensive care patients.
In DISTANCE:PRO, the PICOS App, which was successfully used in DISTANCE, will be further developed and tested in a clinical study. The follow-up project focuses on longitudinal data collection throughout the entire hospital stay of patients. Thanks to this data base, critical illnesses can be assessed more accurately in the future, and treatment quality can be optimized. In close cooperation with the six other Digital Hubs of the MII, data will be collected along the entire treatment pathway — from pre- to post-care — on a long-term basis.
Patient participation for sustainable, practical solutions
Another key aspect is the active involvement of patients and other stakeholders to ensure that the solutions developed are practical, user-friendly, and sustainable. With this approach, DISTANCE:PRO aims to create a professional, market-ready application that contributes in the long term to the digital transformation of healthcare, improves clinical outcomes, and makes patient care more efficient.
DISTANCE:PRO is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space from October 1, 2025, to December 31, 2027.
About the Digital Progress Hubs Health
Since 2021, the Digital Progress Hubs Health (DigiHubs) have been bringing the work of the Medical Informatics Initiative (MII) to connect research and healthcare into all areas of the healthcare system. Each hub is based at the Data Integration Center of a university hospital. A Data Integration Center networks with regional partners — including hospitals, medical practices, rehabilitation and nursing facilities, and emergency services. In the first funding phase until 2025, the foundations for cross-sector data exchange were established. Since mid-2025, the seven DigiHubs have intensified their collaboration to expand the structures established previously and create a nationwide network.
Medical Informatics Initiative (MII)