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International Digital Cardiology

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This week featured several international activities in digital cardiology.

On Thursday, December 11, the International Advisory Board – Dr. Nancy Albert (Cleveland Clinic, USA, and Adjunct Professor at Aalborg University) and Dr. Daida (Juntendo University) – met with the interdisciplinary research group to review and discuss preliminary findings from the research project Telerehabilitation of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (FP-AF). Early results indicate that patients with atrial fibrillation gained increased knowledge through participation in the study. We thank the Danish Heart Association, Region Midt’s Health Science Research Fund, Aage and Johanne Louise Hansen’s Foundation, Animationspuljen, Viborg Municipality, and all project partners for their support.

On Friday, December 12, Laboratory for Welfare Technology hosted an international symposium, Digital Cardiology 2026+: Pathways to Smarter Heart Care. The symposium aimed to define a forward-looking, interdisciplinary vision for digital cardiology. Its outcomes will contribute to a White paper to be published in 2026 – stay tuned.

The symposium showed that digital cardiology is already highly advanced across diagnostics, prevention, care, and treatment, with AI technologies increasingly integrated into clinical practice.

Group Picture

Thank you for participation & presentations from:

  • Cleveland Clinic, USA: Nancy Albert
  • Juntendo University, Japan: Hiroyuki Daida & Takatoshi Kasei
  • The Clinical Department, Danish Center for Health Services Research, Aalborg University Hospital : Søren Paaske
  • Aalborg University Hospital: Egon Toft
  • Department of Psychology, Aarhus University: Helle Spindler
  • The Department of Cardiology, Viborg Hospital: Dorthe Svenstrup, Malene Hollingdal, Helle Mark Mogensen and Andi Albertsen
  • Lex Futura: Charlotte Bagger Tranberg
  • Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University: Samuel Schmidt, Claus Graff, Katja Jensen, Mathushan Gunasegaram, Mads Jocumsen, Knud Larsen, Aia Izzat Saleem, Caroline Theil, Christine Feldthaus, Lærke Bjerregaard-Michelsen & Birthe Dinesen.
Dr. Daida
Nancy Albert
Samuel Schmidt
Charlotte Bagger
Dorthe and Andi
Helle Spindler

Telerehabilitation for patients with atrial fibrillation enhances sense of security

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New article: Together with an interdisciplinary research team, we have published a qualitative study on the perspectives of patients with atrial fibrillation.

Abstract

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent chronic condition with increasing incidence worldwide. The program “Future Patient—Telerehabilitation of Patients with AF” (FP-AF) was created to assess the effects and potential benefits of cardiac telerehabilitation on patients with AF.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the experiences of patients participating in the FP-AF program.

Methods: This qualitative sub-study is part of the multicenter, randomized controlled FP-AF trial, which included 208 patients. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on 14 patients, randomly selected from participants in the intervention arm of the FP-AF program. The patient interviews, guided by self-determination theory, focused on patients’ experiences with the FP-AF program, including the use of telerehabilitation technologies and a web-based portal called the “HeartPortal.”

Results: The following themes were identified: the home monitoring devices are viewed positively by the patients; the HeartPortal is a useful digital toolbox; patients develop new coping strategies for living with AF; the measured values are useful for the patients; the community of practice is beneficial; and the FP-AF program creates a sense of security.

Conclusions: Participation in the FP-AF program enhanced patients’ sense of security, empowerment, and knowledge about AF. This improvement was due largely to a combination of patients’ use of the HeartPortal and the educational sessions at health care centers. Telerehabilitation for patients with AF may be a useful way of researching this group of patients with a focus on rehabilitation and may be an effective means of offering rehabilitation to this group in the future.

The study has been funded by the Danish Heart Association.

You can find the published article through this link.

Invitation to conference and workshop on AI at “TOGETHER4HEALTH” Sep. 17

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TOGETHER4HEALTH conference in Aalborg September 16-18, 2025, see programme.

Professor Birthe Dinesen is hosting a workshop at the conference, September 17:

W5: Revolutionizing Healthcare with AI: Smarter, Faster, Better

Unlocking AI’s Potential: Transforming Healthcare Today and Tomorrow. Provide the audience with insights into the potential of AI in healthcare. Highlight ethical considerations related to AI implementation. Identify barriers to the adoption of AI solutions. Raise awareness and create dialogue of AI and its role in the future healthcare system.

Speaker: Birthe Dinesen, Professor in Digital Health and Head of Laboratory for Welfare Technology – Digital Health and Rehabilitation, ExerciseTech, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Denmark

International PhD course – expand your network

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The Transatlantic Telehealth Research Network (TTRN) is hosting a PhD course in collaboration with CITRIS, UC Berkeley; UC Davis, School of Medicine; CIMT, Odense University Hospital & Aalborg University.

Title: Leading Innovation in Smart Health

  • Next generation telehealth
  • Robotics in patients care, clinical practice and organizational operations
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) – explore the current and potential impacts of AI technologies on healthcare systems: patient care, clinical practices, and organizational operations

Time: August 12-15 , 2025

Venue:
August 12 & 13: UC Davis, School of Medicine, Sacrament, CA
August 14 & 15 : UC Berkeley, Berkeley

ECTS: 3 ECTS points

See program and register at this link

TTRN PhD Course 2025

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Smart Health, Social Robotics and AI

Research Design, Value Assessment and Implementation

June 23-26, 2025
UC Davis & UC Berkeley, California

Join the TTRN PhD Course 2025 – You can read about the course here.

International Dementia Day and Research with LOVOT

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LOVOTs

On the occasion of International Dementia Day, Professor Birthe Dinesen was interviewed by the newspaper “Asahi Shinbun News Paper” from Tokyo, Japan, about our research on the use of social robots for citizens with dementia. It turned into a fine article, so if you want to practice your Japanese, click on this link.

The results from our research are published here:
Dinesen B, Hansen HK, Grønborg GB, Dyrvig AK, Leisted SD, Stenstrup H, Skov Schacksen C, Oestergaard C.
Use of a Social Robot (LOVOT) for Persons With Dementia: Exploratory Study.
JMIR Rehabil Assist Technol 2022;9(3)

PhD defence September 6, 2024

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PhD student Lili Worre is going to defend her thesis:

POST-DISCHARGE COMMUNICATION IN ORTHOPEDIC PATIENT CARE:
Evaluation of digital team-based communication between patients and health care professionals across settings.

Time: September 6 at 14.00-17.00t

Place: Medicinerhusets Auditorie, Aalborg Universitetshospital (Syd)

The defence is public and you are welcome.

TTRN PhD Course 2024: Research methods in digital health technology

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TTRN PhD Course 2024:

Research methods in digital health technology

Venue: Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark

Dates: 2024, August 12-16

Course fee: DKK 3.800, € 510 or $ 550

Deadline, registration: 2024, Juni 10

Download flyer

Course objective

The aim of the PhD course is to give a comprehensive introduction to research methods used in the different phases of the innovation process for digital health technologies such as telehealth, home monitoring, mHealth, video consultation, artificial intelligence (AI), clinical robots, etc.

Thus, PhD students will during the course learn about relevant research methods and their strengths and weaknesses in the design, assessment and implementation of digital health technologies. During the course the students will examine the possibilities for using the methods in their own PhD project.

The course focus on interdisciplinary research methods, assessment of the societal value of technologies, patient involvement, organizational challenges and have an interdisciplinary faculty and students from medicine, nursing, health policy, engineering, etc.

The course is relevant for PhD-students with interest in research in design, assessment and implementation of digital health technologies, including telemedicine, home monitoring, AI and clinical robots. Senior researchers with interest in these areas are also welcome.

Odense University Hospital is leading in European research and practical use of digital health technologies. During all days, clinicians from the hospital will participate and present examples of the use of digital health technologies in the clinical practise. In addition, all days will involve group work and students will give a presentation at the last day of the course and present their use of the scientific disciplines described during the course in their own research project.

The course is organized in collaboration with TTRN – Transatlantic Telemedicine Research Network and involves researchers from Danish and US universities including UC Berkeley, UC Davis and Cleveland Clinic.

Keynote at the International conference on Integrated Care (ICI24) in Belfast

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Join the International conference on Integrated Care (ICI24): “Taking the leap: making integrated care a reality for people and communities”.

Professor Birthe Dinesen has been invited to give a keynote on “Using digital health to make integrated care a reality in Denmark – what have we learned so far?” at the International conference on Integrated Care (ICI24) taking place April 22-24 in Belfast, Ireland.

The conference programme has just been launched – take a look and join us in Belfast for an interesting conference.