COMPAR-EU · Project

Ranking the Best Self-Management Programs for Chronic Diseases Across Europe

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Imagine you're a health insurer trying to pick which diabetes self-management program actually works best — but there are thousands of studies saying different things. COMPAR-EU went through an estimated 4000 clinical trials covering 4 major chronic conditions (type 2 diabetes, obesity, COPD, and heart failure) and ranked which self-management interventions deliver the best results for patients and the best value for money. They built an interactive platform where decision-makers can look up the evidence and pick the right program instead of guessing. Think of it as a Tripadvisor for chronic disease management programs — ratings based on real evidence, not marketing claims.

By the numbers

~4000

Randomised controlled trials analyzed via network meta-analysis

High-priority chronic conditions covered (diabetes, obesity, COPD, heart failure)

Consortium partners across 5 European countries

European countries represented in the consortium (BE, DE, EL, ES, NL)

The business problem

What needed solving

Health insurers, hospital networks, and digital health companies spend millions on chronic disease management programs without reliable evidence on which interventions actually deliver the best outcomes. With thousands of scattered clinical trials and no standardized way to compare them, decision-makers are essentially guessing when they choose self-management programs for conditions like diabetes, obesity, COPD, and heart failure.

The solution

What was built

COMPAR-EU built an interactive evidence platform that ranks self-management interventions across 4 chronic conditions using network meta-analysis of an estimated 4000 clinical trials. The platform was refined after piloting with real users, and the project delivered decision-making tools along with cost-effectiveness analyses.

Audience

Who needs this

Health insurance companies selecting chronic disease management programsDigital health startups building self-management apps for diabetes, obesity, COPD, or heart failureNational health authorities updating clinical guidelines for chronic conditionsHospital networks choosing which patient self-management programs to fundHealthcare consultancies advising on chronic disease strategy

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Health Insurance

enterprise

Target: Health insurance companies and sickness funds

If you are a health insurer spending heavily on chronic disease management programs without clear evidence of which ones work — COMPAR-EU built a platform that ranks self-management interventions across 4 chronic conditions based on an estimated 4000 clinical trials. This lets you pick programs with proven cost-effectiveness instead of relying on vendor claims. The result: better patient outcomes and lower long-term costs from reduced hospitalizations.

Digital Health

SME

Target: Digital health and chronic disease management app companies

If you are a digital health company building self-management tools for diabetes, obesity, COPD, or heart failure — COMPAR-EU's evidence rankings tell you exactly which intervention components are most effective. You can design your product around what the data from an estimated 4000 trials actually shows works, giving you a competitive edge and stronger clinical validation when pitching to hospitals and insurers.

Healthcare Consulting

mid-size

Target: Healthcare policy consultancies and guideline development organizations

If you are a consultancy advising governments or hospital networks on chronic disease strategy — COMPAR-EU provides ready-made, evidence-ranked comparisons of self-management interventions across 4 conditions and 5 European countries. Instead of commissioning your own systematic reviews, you can use this platform to deliver faster, data-backed recommendations to your clients.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to access or license the COMPAR-EU platform and evidence database?

The COMPAR-EU platform was developed as a publicly funded research project and is accessible at self-management.eu. Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not detailed in the deliverables. Contact the coordinator to discuss commercial licensing for integration into proprietary systems.

Can these evidence rankings scale to cover additional diseases or regional healthcare systems?

The project covers 4 high-priority chronic conditions (type 2 diabetes, obesity, COPD, heart failure) across 5 European countries. The network meta-analysis methodology used could be extended to other conditions, but this would require additional data collection and analysis beyond the current scope.

Is the methodology or platform protected by intellectual property?

The project was funded as a Research and Innovation Action (RIA). Based on available project data, the validated taxonomy and network meta-analysis methodology are published research outputs. The interactive platform itself may have specific IP arrangements — contact the coordinator for details on commercial use rights.

How does COMPAR-EU help meet regulatory or guideline requirements?

The project explicitly targets guideline developers and policy-makers as end users. Its evidence rankings from an estimated 4000 clinical trials provide the kind of systematic, comparable evidence that national health authorities need when updating clinical guidelines or reimbursement decisions for self-management programs.

What is the timeline from accessing the platform to implementing recommendations?

The platform was piloted and refined during the project period (2018-2022). A decision-maker could access the evidence rankings immediately and begin integrating findings into program selection. Implementation timelines depend on your organization's procurement and clinical governance processes.

Can the platform integrate with existing hospital or insurance IT systems?

The COMPAR-EU platform was built as a user-friendly interactive tool for decision-makers. Based on available project data, it was designed for direct use rather than system integration. Custom API access or data feeds would need to be discussed with the development team.

Consortium

Who built it

The COMPAR-EU consortium brings together 8 partners from 5 countries (Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, Netherlands), with a balanced mix of 2 industry players, 2 universities, 2 research organizations, and 2 other entities. The 25% industry ratio and 2 SMEs in the consortium signal real-world application intent beyond pure academia. The coordinator, Fundacion Avedis Donabedian from Spain, is classified as an SME and specializes in healthcare quality improvement — suggesting the project was driven by practical implementation needs rather than theoretical research alone. For a business buyer, this mix of clinical research depth and industry involvement adds credibility to the platform's practical usability.

FUNDACION AVEDIS DONABEDIAN PARA LA MEJORA DE LA CALIDAD ASISTENCIALCoordinator · ES
OPTIMEDIS AGparticipant · DE
STICHTING NEDERLANDS INSTITUUT VOOR ONDERZOEK VAN DE GEZONDHEIDSZORGparticipant · NL
FORUM DES PATIENTS EUROPEENSparticipant · BE
INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT BVparticipant · NL
INSTITUT DE RECERCA DE L'HOSPITAL DE LA SANTA CREU I SANT PAU FUNDACIONparticipant · ES
PANEPISTIMIO IOANNINONparticipant · EL
ERASMUS UNIVERSITEIT ROTTERDAMthirdparty · NL

How to reach the team

Fundacion Avedis Donabedian (Spain) — healthcare quality improvement organization. Use SciTransfer's coordinator lookup service for direct contact details.

Order a report on this consortium See FUNDACION AVEDIS DONABEDIAN PARA LA MEJORA DE LA CALIDAD ASISTENCIAL profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to connect with the COMPAR-EU team to license evidence data or integrate their rankings into your health product? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction and help structure the partnership.

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