About us

 

C-TRAIL brings together 5 Health Entities, 3 Academic institutions, supported by 3 R&D Units, covering geographically the Alentejo region:

  1. Health institutions involved are the Central Hospital of the Alentejo (Hospital do Espírito Santo de Évora – HESE) and the Primary Care Local Health Units, EPE, of Baixo Alentejo (ULSBA), Norte Alentejano (ULSNA), Litoral Alentejano (ULSLA) and Regional Health Administration of Alentejo IP (ARS Alentejo);
  2. Academic institutions include the University of Évora and the Polytechnic institutes of Portalegre (Norte Alentejano) and Beja (Baixo Alentejo);
  3. Research is integrated and supported by the Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), AL REAL, the CoLab TRIALS.
 

 

 

The Vision

 

The Alentejo region has distinctive characteristics apart from the country; the geographic challenge of being the most extensive and dispersed region in the country with an aged population suffering from high multimorbidity, isolation and interiority implying specific Health, Education and Care needs, that have been present in the creation of the C-TRAIL consortium.

C-TRAIL’s vision consists in supporting the development of a most sustainable, best integrated and patient-centred health system by 2030, sustained by robust clinical & research careers, translational health science and health digitalization based on a strong network of knowledge easily available to experts and health stakeholders who can optimize the decision-making process.

C-TRAIL will strengthen the ties between Health Services and Universities and Institutes, both in teaching and research, creating a new operational setting between health care providers and training and research centres.

 

Context

 

  • C-TRAIL is in its very beginning;
  • It was legally created in march 25th, 2022 (Portaria n.º 127/2022, DR 1ª série, 60)
  • Alentejo is the largest region in Portugal
  • Alentejo is the most elderly region of the country and one of the most ageing in the world
  • Geographical distances and interiority
  • Population aging, socioeconomic deprivation & social isolation
  • Poor health indicators in the national context:
    • Functional decline
    • Dependency & multimorbidity
 

 

 

The Consortium

 

  • Host: Universidade de Évora, UÉvora
  • Administração Regional de Saúde do Alentejo, ARS Alentejo
  • Hospital do Espírito Santo de Évora, HESE
  • Instituto Politécnico de Portalegre, IPP
  • Instituto Politécnico de Beja, IPBeja
  • Unidade Local de Saúde do Baixo Alentejo, ULSBA
  • Unidade Local de Saúde do Litoral Alentejano, ULSLA
  • Unidade Local de Saúde do Norte Alentejano, ULSNA

 

The Objetives

 

The C-TRAIL is focused on the Clinical Education and Research needs of Alentejo to provide:

  • Sustainable and high quality continuing & patient-centered care, raised from the geographic, demographic, socioeconomic and population health status.
  • Programs dedicated to community intervention, respond to clinical health care needs and leverage translational research development, reinforcing collaborative actions (research, education and practice) at all levels, integrated continuing, primary and hospital health care.

 

4 Main Thematic Lines of Work

  • I) Health Promotion through Life Course, Health Trajectories and Transitions, behavioural insight and inequalities;
  • II) New therapies, biomarkers and personalized medicine in high burden and high mortality diseases;
  • III) Health policies, universal coverage, Primary Health Care, patient-centred and efficient healthcare;
  • IV) Digital health and Health Technology Assessment.

 

The Action Plan

C-TRAIL selected areas of activity will be focused on:

  • Chronic and degenerative diseases – cardiovascular, oncologic, dementia & mental disorders;
  • Rehabilitation, exercise and dietetics;
  • Digital Health and Self-Care;
  • Environmental risks to the populations.

 

The C-TRAIL 4 Pillars

  1. Clinicians & researchers career development
  2. Strategic alliances with international and national, private and public institutions
  3. Open science, fairness, confidentiality and trust
  4. Community/patient engagement, health education, dissemination and best practices

 

The Priority Programs Dedicated to the Community Intervention Proposed