18-09-2024
Lithuanian researchers partnering with international colleagues to tackle healthcare challenges
International researchers from diverse fields are joining forces to address the pressing issue of burnout among healthcare personnel and enhance their resilience to extreme workplace events. At a conference organized as part of the Season of Lithuania in France, Lithuanian researchers will outline the goals of the Apollo 2028 project and share their experiences of collaborating with their French colleagues.
A pressing issue across borders
The goal of the Apollo 2028 project, which unites researchers from eight countries, is to provide healthcare workers – particularly physicians and caregivers – as well as organizations and policymakers with research-backed solutions to enhance the resilience of hospitals and healthcare personnel in extreme events. The project brings together researchers from diverse fields, including medicine, management, psychology, economics, and IT.
As part of this project, Dr. Neringa Gerulaitienė, an associate professor at the Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) School of Economics and the Business Centre of Excellence for Business Digital Transformation as well as senior project researcher in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship research group, is conducting research on the organizational resilience of hospitals. Her work examines factors such as strategic planning and resource distribution and how these contribute to enhancing the resilience and well-being of healthcare personnel. “The project's results will not only offer new theoretical insights into how hospital resilience contributes to the well-being of healthcare personnel but also provide practical solutions for healthcare institutions in Lithuania and partner countries,” says Dr Gerulaitienė.
Harnessing the power of AI
Prof. Osvaldas Rukšėnas, head of the Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics at the Vilnius University Life Sciences Centre Institute of Biosciences, states that the primary objective of the neuroscientists involved in the project is to gather extensive data on the physical and mental well-being of healthcare workers, which would then be compared with results from other participating countries, including Finland, Ireland, the United States, Spain, and Italy. The research team will examine the resilience of both healthcare personnel and hospitals in extreme situations and then compare the results across the participating countries.
Once the necessary data has been collected, the team will be joined by partners from Hungary, who will use artificial intelligence (AI) to process the information, identify problem areas, and propose potential solutions to implement change. “Ideally, we aim to apply the model in several pilot institutions to assess how well theory aligns with practice,” says Prof. Rukšėnas.
Collaboration unlocking new opportunities
The series of events organized as part of the Season of Lithuania in France aims to showcase the achievements and collaborative projects of researchers from both countries. These events are organized by the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL) and the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania to the French Republic. Dr. Gintaras Valinčius, Chairman of the RCL, emphasizes that international cooperation projects create new opportunities for conducting innovative research and effectively applying the results in practice.
“I have no doubt that the visit of Lithuanian researchers to Paris and the exchange of best practices will foster even stronger international collaboration in the fields of life sciences and oncology. The Season of Lithuania in France, under the slogan ‘The Other Same,’ provides a significant opportunity to showcase how shared values, ongoing cooperation, and mutual trust between the two countries lead to true success stories in science,” says Dr. Valinčius.
At the conference organized as part of the Season of Lithuania in France, Dr. Gerulaitienė will present the Apollo 2028 project and share the best practices identified through collaboration with French researchers. “I am confident that by sharing best practices, we can inspire other Lithuanian and French researchers to collaborate more closely in their work. The presentation of the project and the sharing of effective collaboration practices at the event may provide valuable insights into the project topic and foster new connections that are essential for further research development, its broader application, and, ultimately, positive change in the field of healthcare,” she said.
Optimistic about changes ahead
Prof. Rukšėnas, who will present the project at the joint conference of French and Lithuanian researchers, emphasizes that discussing the Apollo 2028 project during the Season of Lithuania in France is an excellent opportunity to showcase how much researchers can achieve through collaboration on an international stage. “While it may be premature to label the Apollo 2028 project a success story, its potential is evident. The project has been allocated four years of funding, and we have already completed an important first step. Many lessons have been learned, and we are ready to share them with other colleagues and partners,” says Prof. Rukšėnas.
Prof. Rukšėnas is confident that recognition of the problem’s urgency will continue to increase over the four years of the project: “Even though we don’t have a solution to the problem yet, the fact that we are beginning to discuss it in different countries and seek out similarities is valuable in itself, as it raises awareness and encourages us to invest more time and effort.”
The Apollo 2028 consortium includes not only universities but also hospitals, such as the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier. “Close collaboration with hospitals and healthcare personnel is essential for the project's success, as they are directly confronted with the resilience challenges faced by both hospitals and healthcare workers, including issues of burnout, and possess the best understanding of their daily pressures. Involving hospitals and healthcare professionals in the project makes the research more relevant and actionable,” explains Dr. Gerulaitienė.