European Commission Directorate General for Regional Policy

European Regional Innovation Awards 2004

Overijssel, The

The region is a province of the Netherlands located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is . Other major cities include , and , home of the University of , which specialises in technical ZWOLLE studies.

Overijssel is bordered by the river Ijssel, and the hills of Veluwe. The river Ijssel is one of the three major distributary branches of the Rhine.

The most important sectors of industry in Overijssel are metal-electronics, plastics, automotive, machine- building, food, and printing and publishing. Emerging industries include medical technology and biomaterials.

R RegioGIS © EuroGeographics Association for the administrative boundaries In the service sector, commercial services, Objective 2 information and communication technology and Phasing-out Obj. 2 tourism are also emerging activities. Due to its Phasing-out Obj. 2 (partly) excellent transport infrastructure, Overijssel has attracted international firms specialising in transport and distribution. Overijssel also has a well-qualified workforce.

Overijssel : main regional indicators "By connecting business and Area 3335.8 km² Population 1.1 million knowledge, Population density 326.7 inn./km² innovation will GDP growth (annual 3.1% act as a average % change) common Employment rate 73.4% Patent application 139.9 per million feature for our rate (EU average 153.6) inhabitants regional economy, and Geert.J. JANSEN Source: European Commission, DG for Regional Policy that of Europe." Population Figures for 2001; GDP Figures for 1995 - 2001; Queen's Commissionner Employment Figures for 2002; in the province of Patents Figures for 1999 - 2001 OVERIJSSEL Pilot Wireless Care – Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of outreach medical professionals using a wireless broadband

Contact details Pilot Wireless Care in Overijssel, Martin J. B. van Velzen The Netherlands. City of Enschede P.O. box 173 The "Pilot Wireless Care" project has been given 7500 AD Enschede a European Regional Innovative Action Award for The Netherlands the innovative use of information and communication technology. Tel : +31(0)534815314 Fax : +31 (0)534818536 The aim of the project was to equip district nurses and other outreach medical workers with a means Email: [email protected] of getting guidance from colleagues or asking for an expert opinion while treating patients in the field. By reducing complications during treatment, this will lead to fewer hospital visits by View of the jury: outpatients.

"In view of the ageing populations in all Pilot Wireless Care uses a wireless broadband infrastructure to enable district nurses and other medical professionals to conduct live EU member states the fact that this videoconference with colleagues and experts outside of the hospital. Presence and location project could lead to a reduction in health information is built into the system in order to speed the tracing of relevant experts. Where no care costs will ensure the long term expert is available the system allows the district nurse or field worker to use multimedia messaging and a ‘woundlog’ to assist their viability of this approach." treatment of a patient.

The sustainability of this project looks promising. Health insurance companies are already expressing an interest in the project, and there is an expectation that more efficient district nursing will lead to cost savings at hospitals. The Pilot Wireless Care project also has the potential to be exploited by other regions within the EU, and beyond.

Left: A district nurse conducts a live videoconference with colleagues and experts while treating a patient outside of the hospital.

More information on ERDF Regional Programmes of Innovative Actions http://europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy/innovation/index_en.htm