Department of Regional Health Research Faculty of Health Sciences - University of Southern Denmark

The focus of Department of Regional Health Research, Region of Southern Denmark, and Region Zealand is on cooperating to create the best possible conditions for research and education.

Successful research environments with open doors

With just 11 years of history, Department of Regional Health Research (IRS) is a relatively “The research in IRS is aimed at the treatment new yet, already unconditional success of the person as a whole and at the more experiencing growth in number of employees, publications and co-operations across hospitals, common diseases” professional groups, institutions and national borders.

University partner for regional innovations. IRS is based on accomplished hospitals professionals all working towards improving The research in IRS is directed towards the man’s health and creating value for patients, person as a whole and towards the more citizens and the community by means of synergy common diseases. IRS reaches out beyond the and high professional and ethical standards. traditional approach to research and focusses on We largely focus on the good working the interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach. environment, equal rights and job satisfaction IRS makes up the university partner and among our employees. We make sure constantly organisational frame for clinical research and to support the delicate balance between clinical education at hospitals in Region of Southern work, research and teaching. Denmark* and Region Zealand**. Supports research and education Many land registers – great IRS continues working towards strengthening geographical spread research and education and towards bringing the There is a great geographical spread between the department and the researchers closer together hospitals, but research environments and in the future. The hospitals in Region of Southern professional competencies are in terms of Denmark are from the year 2019 acknowledged organisation connected by IRS. Hence, the as being Southern Danish University Hospitals department is not just one building and not just and medical training (the master’s programme) one location; it is a community with access to in Esbjerg will soon become a reality. We one another’s research competencies and continue doing research and education where the supporting infrastructure. The doors between patients are. researchers, students and employees are always On the following pages you open – and this also applies to the door to my can read more about how we office. create research and education of high quality across the board. International aim The geographical spread is also internationally Enjoy the reading. applied since IRS attracts acknowledged Rikke Leth-Larsen, Head of professors who are hired or adjunct at the Department, Department of department. This increases both the knowledge, Regional Health Research the visibility and the professional level at IRS January 2019 which is inspiring to everyone and creates a breeding ground for professional results and

*With the exception of OUH and the Psychiatry in Odense which organisationally belongs to Department of Clinical Research. ** The hospitals in Region Zealand has researchers at all universities but primarily at University of Southern Denmark (SDU) and at University of Copenhagen (KU).

Internationalisation

IRS also looks to the international world of research where the professional results are published and acknowledged. High-profile Hospitals affiliated to IRS foreign professors are attached to IRS as adjunct • Hospital of South West Jutland professors. They are connected to research • Lillebælt Hospital projects at IRS, they teach • Hospital of Southern Jutland and frequently visit Denmark. This evidently is a seal of • Danish Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases approval of IRS’s work and • Mental Health Services in Region of results within research and Southern Denmark education. • The Epilepsy-hospital Filadelfia • Holbæk Hospital • Nykøbing Falster Hospital • Næstved – Slagelse – Ringsted Hospitals • Psychiatry Region Zealand • Zealand University Hospital • Region of Southern Denmark – Prehospital Area

Research and interdisciplinary and cross-sectional cooperation create brand new results

Supports research in relation to the ”We believe that interdisciplinary research person as a whole communities can create synergy benefitting IRS supports research in relation to the person research as well as the person-centred treatment as a whole, the good life and the more common and care” diseases. IRS makes out a platform for scientists and educators and builds a bridge between University of Southern Denmark, Region of Southern Denmark, Region Zealand, the hospitals in the two regions and the patient. In IRS, we work focusing on the continuity of term need to have an increased focus on the patient care across sectors, hospitals and balance between growth and consolidation. In specialist fields. the future, we will engage in enhancing the visibility internally and externally so that we, to a Cross-sectional research communities greater extent, can utilize the potential of create synergy diversity in our research. The responsibility for We believe that cross-disciplinary research quality, relevance, differentiation and communities can create synergy benefitting sustainability lies both in the hands of the single research as well as the person-centred treatment scientist and educator and on an overall and care. organisational level. We want IRS to be a department which one is proudly associated with Strong construction with a dedicated and which one refers to both nationally and network of broad professionalism and internationally. At IRS, there is a short distance between words and action and a will to change. competence

IRS is a strong and unusual construction with a We can and will see all of the relatively short history (starting in 2007). We are a network of dedicated people offering a diversity continuity of patient care and include of professionalisms and competences which different perspectives reaches across the well-established research- The citizens of our community are various. This environments. We cultivate relations and create is exactly why we need to look at continuity of space for involvement, responsiveness and the patient care from various perspectives. In IRS, will to change. we bring together SDU’s strategy Well-established research scientists, utilizing the environments help along budding -It’s about doing something synergy in research environments worth doing, for society, with the IRS cultivates sustainability in such a way that society dissimilarities the well-established research-environments - It’s about enabling every and engage facilitate and support new and aspiring research talent while encouraging the in the environments and connects it all in a network. exceptional positive - It´s about breaking through We are aware of the importance of supporting environment boundaries and shaping the local needs and cultural development but also of of growth and future the fact that inspiration and cooperation is in necessary on a broader scale nationally as well unexpected The outer pointers are: The as internationally. innovations. core task must create value for

Supporting and with society. Increased focus on visibility and these The inner pointers are: The balance between growth and innovations is core task must be characterized by quality, consolidation the relevance, differentiation and department’s IRS is a brick-less, growing department with lots sustainability. of enterprising staff members which is most task. positive but also demands that we in the long

The following interviews are just two examples of how researchers at IRS collaborate across – professionally and sectorial, the patient being the centre of attention

Cross-sectoral knowledge sharing between scientists, regions, municipalities and doctors improves conditions for the elderly

By means of four PhD-theses a project in South cross-sectoral cooperation is exactly what IRS Jutland seeks to examine which factors come into emphasizes the importance of. Additionally, the play in the treatment of elderly, weakened acute cooperation between scientists is strengthened patients. along with the opportunity to network. “Many parties are involved in the treatment of At the Forefront of Older Peoples’ the individual elderly patient – from doctors and hospitals to the home care, regions and Care municipalities. When a change between sectors The project “At the Forefront of Older Peoples’ takes place, for instance from hospital to home Care” within the framework of IRS is carried out care, there is a risk that knowledge is lost”, concretely in both a cross-sectoral and an Christian Backer Mogensen explains. He adds interdisciplinary cooperation between region, that four PhD-projects with an interdisciplinary municipalities, doctors and patients, who are approach to what ensures synergy, holistic view actively using the PhD-theses’ continuous data in and new insights, seek to make out what goes on order to improve the conditions for elderly in the different sectors and in connection with patients. changes between sectors. Clinical Professor Christian Backer Mogensen is consultant and Head of Research at Emergency Medicine at IRS-Center Southern Jutland and has Involvement of a very large cross- initiated the research project whose purpose is to sectorial area examine what obstacles can be put into play in The team of researcher has chosen a dynamic connection with elderly, weakened patients who model in which the results of the PhD-projects either have been or are currently admitted to the are continuously evaluated in order to consider, hospital. The project is realised through a close whether adjustments are needed. collaboration between Region of Southern “Instead of waiting, the municipalities, the general Denmark, four municipalities of Southern Jutland practitioners and the hospitals actively decide on - Aabenraa, Tønder, Sønderborg and Haderslev whether they can do something now and test if and the general practitioners of in these something can improve the processes for the municipalities. From SDU, researchers from treatment of the elderly patients,” says Christian research units within the framework of IRS in Backer Mogensen and explains that the acute medicine at Hospital of South West Jutland functioning cooperation between all parties is part and Hospital of Southern Jutland, rheumatology of the preconditions for the future results, just as and psychiatry participate. In addition, well as the additional theses examines what role cooperation with other departments (IST) and relatives, health care personnel and home care university colleges (University College South plays and what relevance dementia has among the Denmark) exists. elderly. As the answers start showing up, the project “At Synergy and holistic approach offer the Forefront of Older Peoples’ Care” continuously new insights starts up new PhD-projects in order to work out and evaluate the findings. Many parties are involved in the dynamic model used in the project and this interdisciplinary and

”Many parties are involved in the dynamic model used in the project and this interdisciplinary and cross- sectoral coopperation is exactly what IRS emphasizes the importance of”

“So far, the procedure with physiotherapy has only been tested abroad, but now the procedure is part of an interdisciplinary research project between nurses, doctors and physiotherapists via IRS in Denmark”

Interdisciplinary research cooperation at IRS creates results for asthma patients

Patients suffering from asthma and who, in spite hospitals; just the approach to research that IRS of medicine, are still experiencing symptoms are is setting the stage for. now attempted to be helped by means of physiotherapy through a research project within IRS-cooperation ensures a large the framework of IRS. patient base and involvement of several professional groups Looks into experiences from abroad Due to the cross-sectorial cooperation it is So far, the procedure with physiotherapy has possible to draw on a wide professional know- only been tested abroad. Yet, via IRS, this how and on relevant patient groups making it procedure is now part of an interdisciplinary possible to test the method. According to Karen research project between nurses, doctors and Hjerrild Andreasson, the physiotherapeutic physiotherapists in Denmark. method aims at patients modifying their way of In the middle of the project stands PhD-student breathing in order to hinder shortness of breath and physiotherapist Karen Hjerrild Andreasson from occurring. and Clinical Associate Professor Uffe Bødtger In order to create an adequate underlying data from Næstved, Slagelse and Ringsted Hospitals volume for the results of the project, it is in Region Zealand. necessary to involve more hospitals, personnel “In the outpatient clinic, Uffe has experienced and patients. The objective is to get 220 patients with uncontrolled asthma, i.e. patients participant/ patients through the project and who in spite of relevant medicine are still both Næstved Hospital, Zealand University experiencing unacceptable symptoms such as Hospital Roskilde, Aalborg University Hospital, shortness of breath and coughing. Physiotherapy the Regional Hospital in Silkeborg, Odense is used on a few locations abroad in order to help University Hospital, Hvidovre Hospital and this type of patients, and this is where I come Bispebjerg Hospital are affiliated with the project. into the picture,” explains Karen Hjerrild “The project would not be possible without the Andreasson, who was so inspired by the cooperation via IRS and for us to get usable experiences from abroad that she chose to focus data, it is super important that the method is on this specific topic in her PhD-thesis. tested in the correct environment. The fact that Karen Hjerrild Adreasson works closely together we involve several hospitals in all of the five with Uffe Bødtger on the project, which today regions results in us getting a better picture and involves personnel and patients from several a more powerful result,” says Karen Hjerrild Andreasson.

Unique Environment of Education and Research

IRS contributes to education on bachelor, graduate and PhD-level for students at University of Southern Denmark. IRS connects regional hospitals and the university with research-based teaching, primarily taking place in the practical day of work – and brings together students, researchers and personnel in a unique environment of education and research.

IRS teach at the following bachelor and master’s programs:

Bachelor: Master: MSc in Health Science Medicine Medicine Physiotherapy Clinical Biomechanics Clinical Biomechanics MSc in Nursing (chiropractor) (chiropractor) MSc in Health (Occupational Pharmacy Pharmacy Therapy) Science in Public Health MSc in Public Health Biomedicine

Find a researcher

The employees, affiliated researchers and teachers at IRS need to be easy to find for national as well as international partners. The electronic business card is updated with relevant information about merits, education, research projects and contact data. You can find a researcher below the section ‘Research’ or via the link https://portal.findresearcher.sdu.dk/en/persons/

SDU Department of Regional Health Research

Faculty of Health Sciences University of Southern Denmark J.B. Winsløws Vej 19,3. 5000 Odense C Phone: +45 6550 3913 Mail: [email protected]