Assistive Technology: Service Delivery Systems, Presence and Future

Niels-Erik Mathiassen

Managing Director: Danish Centre for Assistive Technology

President-Elect: AAATE, (Association for the Advancement of

Assistive Technology in Europe)

Agenda

• Brief introduction to the Danish Centre

and AAATE

• Service Delivery in Europe - overview

• Challanges for Service Delivery in the

future

• AAATE conference in Maastricht 2011

Danish Centre for

Assistive Technology

Founding

• Founded in 1980

• A non-profit organisation

• Partly financed through – the Ministry of the Interior and Social Affairs

and

– partly financed through other sources of income such as project participation and sale of services

• We are 40 persons working at the Danish Centre

The Mission of the Danish

Centre for Assistive Technology

To provide assistive technology that is suitable and safe by coordinating:

– Testing and evaluation of products

– Research and development activities

– Information provision

• Web-site, Database, eNetworks, Magazine, Newsletters, conferences etc.

Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe Mission:

“to stimulate the advancement of assistive technology for the benefit of people with

disabilities, including elderly people"

Areas of action:

• To create awareness on assistive technology

• To promote research and development of

assistive technology

• To facilitate the exchange of knowledge

within the field

• To disseminate information about assistive

technology and related issues

Main activities

• More than 200 members

• Biannual AAATE conference and

AAATE workshop

• "Technology and Disability", the

official Scientific Journal of

AAATE

• Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

• AAATE newsletter and web

services

• Networking with other AAATE

members

• Seminars, Workshops and

Information events

• And more…

AAATE - http://www.aaate.net/

Service Delivery in Europe

An overview of the situation today

Service Delivery in Europe

• Wide variations in the Service Delivery Systems for AT

– Health oriented

– Financed by Insurance and charity

• Lack of user involvement

• The AT market is very fragmented

– Local regulation, different testing

– National positive lists of products

Service Delivery in Europe (2)

• It’s more a question of budget than good

quality of service provision

• The information is very fragmented

– the use and effects of Assistive Technology

– effective organisation of service delivery

• The un-perfect market – Public procurement, focus on price

• Globalisation

– Harmonisation and single market

Convention on the Rights of

Persons with Disabilities Article 4: General obligations

• (f) To undertake or promote research and development of

universally designed goods, services, equipment and facilities…

• (g) To undertake or promote research and development of, and to

promote the availability and use of new technologies, including

information and communications technologies, mobility aids,

devices and assistive technologies...

• (h) To provide accessible information to persons with disabilities

about mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies, including

new technologies…

• (i) To promote the training of professionals and staff …to better provide the assistance and services guaranteed by those rights.

General developments of

importance • Demographic development

• More very old –an increasing need of AT

• Structural changes • More focus on at-home rehabilitation, integration in

education and work etc.

• Technical development • New and better devices for existing users

• Devices for new User groups

• Standard products, Design for All products

• Apps and Public Domain software as AT

•

Technological development

• Design for All

– Windows

• Standard products

– Smart phones, GPS

etc.

• How to know?

• How to implement?

• How to train?

Challanges in the provision of

Assistive Technology

General challanges

• Create awareness of the social potential of

Assistive Technology • Positive profile

• Tools for participation and dignity

• Support for making life easier

• Create the most efficient Service Delivery System – Evidence based, holistic view, multidisciplinary

• Users as the prime customer in the future

– User involvement in assessment, public procurement etc.

User involvement

• The best solutions are the cheapest

– If it solves the problem it’s worth the

money

• User organisations lack strategy, skills and ressources

• Users must be more involved in the provision process

Information and Advice

• Cooperate and coordinate on information

• New products, new areas of use, new user groups etc.

• Support the consumer process • Identify, Compare, Select etc.

• Qualify commercial information

Education and training

• Develop and deliver education and training programs for professionals

• eLearning

• Mandatory training for all health professionals

Research and innovation

• Encourage networking between Research

and companies

• Promote multidisciplinary research

• Support mechanisms for technology

transfer

– Exploit new technology developments

• Research based documentation

– Effect on the lives of people with disabilities

– Cost-effective rehabilitation

Areas of European Cooperation

• Information coordination

– EASTIN, AAATE

• Development of expertise (Education,

Basic training of staff)

• Analyzing and documenting the effects of Service Delivery Systems

• Research and development activities

www.aaate.net/

“ Everyday Technology for

Independence and Care”

AAATE special sesssion

• Planning to organize a special session and panel discussion with European policymakers at the beginning of September 2011 in Maastricht

• Invite Emilia Romagna to bring the outcomes of today's conference to the AAATE special session.