SECRETARIA REGIONAL DA SAUDE

Their core work

Secretaria Regional da Saúde is the regional health authority of Madeira, Portugal, responsible for public health policy and healthcare delivery in the autonomous region. In H2020 projects, they contribute as a real-world healthcare environment for piloting digital health solutions — from AI-driven telemedicine and remote patient monitoring to big data platforms supporting independent living for elderly populations. Their participation bridges the gap between technology development and actual clinical deployment in a regional healthcare system.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their H2020 participation started in 2019 with a digitally-focused project on blockchain-based qualifications and education systems (QualiChain), which sits outside their core health mandate. From 2019 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward healthcare applications — big data for elderly care (SMART BEAR) and AI-driven ICU management (ICU4Covid). The trajectory shows a clear move from general digital participation toward health-specific digital transformation.

They are converging on digital health infrastructure — expect future interest in telemedicine, remote patient monitoring, and data-driven clinical decision support.

How they like to work

Exclusively a participant — they have never coordinated an H2020 project. They join large consortia (72 unique partners across 3 projects), which suggests they serve as a clinical pilot site or end-user validator rather than a project driver. Working with them means gaining access to a real regional healthcare system for testing and deployment, not a research lab.

Despite only 3 projects, they have collaborated with 72 unique partners across 14 countries, reflecting participation in large multi-national consortia typical of health innovation actions.

What sets them apart

As a regional health authority on an island territory (Madeira), they offer a contained, well-defined healthcare ecosystem ideal for piloting digital health solutions at population scale before broader rollout. Unlike university hospitals or research institutes, they bring the administrative and policy perspective of a public health authority — useful for projects that need to demonstrate regulatory feasibility alongside technical performance. Their insular setting provides a natural living lab for connected health and telemedicine trials.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SMART BEAR
  Largest funding (EUR 363K) and longest duration (2019-2025), focused on big data for elderly independent living — a growing EU priority.
• ICU4Covid
  Rapid-response project applying cyber-physical systems and AI to intensive care during the pandemic, demonstrating capacity for crisis-driven health innovation.