 Partners for Health NGO (PfH)
(formerly – Atlanta-Tbilisi Health Partnership Program, ATHPP) 
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Projects
Accomplished/ongoing projects:
COST CA16207: European Network for Problematic Usage of the Internet Funding:COST EU program - European COoperation in the field of Scientific and Technical research
Period: 2017-2021
Description: Problematic use of the internet (PUI) and its impact on the health and wellbeing of European citizens represents an emerging challenge for mental health research. The aim of this Cost Action is to bring together a multidisciplinary and geographically diverse group of experts and opinion leaders under one European-led Network, to leverage the existing funded research into a more coherent programme to advance the understanding of PUI from a bio-psycho-social perspective, clarify the brain-based undergirdings and develop effective interventions. The Network unites experts from pver 40 countries in animal and human neuroscience, genetics, clinicians and the bio- and information-technology industries with policy makers, health service planners, patients and carers in an integrated four-year work-plan designed to 1) share knowledge, interchange ideas and best practice to generate common science and technology programmes, 2) address training gaps and build research capacity, 3) strengthen science and technology communication, 4) foster integration of less research-intensive countries and 5) promote new trans-disciplinary, translational approaches to tackle PUI.
COST IS1311: InterFaSol – International Family Solidarity Across Europe
Funding: COST EU program - European COoperation in the field of Scientific and Technical research
Period: 2016-2018
Description: This Action’s goal is to synchronize, integrate and improve European research in the field of intergenerational family solidarity, its benefits in key life domains and the ways in which it can be strengthened across generations. The knowledge exchange will improve the interdisciplinary communication between researchers from different countries to advance research in the field, and will promote exchange between research, practice and policies. The Action launches a series of activities that includes an workgroups, scientific meetings, training visits and publications.
web-page: http://www.interfasol.eu/
e-Health and m-Health Applications for Teledermatology – (co-participation along with Association of Dermatooncology, Dermoscopy and Skin Optical Diagnostic – ADDaSOD)
Funding: CRDF-Global (http://www.crdfglobal.org/), Georgian Research and Development Foundation (www.GRDF.ge) and Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation (www.rustaveli.org). co-Funding: Marjani Ltd. dermatology clinic
Period: 2014-15
Description: The project developed teledermatology working model and e-registry for dermatology patients for for efficient follow-up and screening for skin cancer and melanoma. Over 600 patients in Tbilisi and Batumi Maritime Hospital have been researched and teleconsulted with mobile health application – mobile teledermoscopy and engaging network of foreign partners from Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Austria, Italy and Turkey. e-Registry of patients have been developed. Results have been presented at Wireless Health 2015 NIH Conference (Bethesda, MD, USA) and IEEE 18th HealthCom2016 Conference (Munich, Germany)
Regional e-Health Network (REHN) Model for Adjara Hospital System
Funding: Business Partnership Grant Program by CRDF-Global, Georgian Research and Development Foundation (GRDF) and Georgian Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation (GNSF). Partners – Unimedi Adjara (Aldagi BCI) and MagtiCom
Period: 2012 February-2013 February
Description: The project developed network architecture and model of cost-efficient hybrid (Fiber and Wireless) network for Unimedi Adjara Hospital system owned by Aldagi BCI Insurance Company.
COST IS1103: ADAPT – Adapting European Health Systems to Diversity
Funding: COST EU program - European COoperation in the field of Scientific and Technical research
Period: 2011-2016
Description: ADAPT Action aims to promote the adoption and implementation of policies responding to this increased diversity. It builds on the achievements of COST Action IS0603 (Health and Social Care for Migrants and Ethnic Minorities – HOME), which reviewed health inequalities among migrants and ethnic minorities as well as the measures designed to remedy them. ADAPT will take this work forward, identifying obstacles to translating this knowledge into action as well as ‘levers for change’.
web-page: http://www.cost.eu/COST_Actions/isch/Actions/IS1103
Update and support of Georgian web-pages for human and patients rights in healthcare (www.healthrights.ge and www.hrh.ge)
Funding: Open Society Georgia Foundation
Period: 2012 January-December
Description: The project’s goal was to update and support two web-pages for human and patient’s rights in healthcare.
“Wake-up & Stop Hep C!” – Public Awareness, Professional Training, Media Advocacy and Patient Active IT-support Campaign in response of rising challenges of Hepatitis C infection in Georgia (in cooperation with Baltic to Black Sea Alliance – Georgia)
Funding: Open Society Georgia Foundation
Period: 2011 July-December
Mobile Telemedicine (MTM-Geo) Pilot Project for Georgian Healthcare System
Funding: Business Partnership Grant Program (Project BPG #02/10) by Georgian Research and Development Foundation (GRDF) and Georgian National Science Foundation (GNSF). Partner – MagtiCom Ltd.
Period: 2010 January-December
Description: Mobile Telemedicine (MTM) using wireless remote monitoring devices and GPRS/UMTS connections for providing patients data through wireless/Bluetooth/GPRS/Internet connection for cardiac and neurology patients as well as athletes and rescuers (m-Health) Design: Arrhythmia 24-h monitoring by means of ECG loop recording (Holter) connected through Bluetooth with mobile phone and later through 3G with server. Study: 30 patients with arrhythmia, 10 patients with Epilepsy+ arrhythmia and 5 controls (sportsmen) Mobile telemedicine equipment – VitaPhone BT 3300 loop recorder + Nokia 6730 phone with MDT LRMA software Communication mode: GPRS / 3G
Development of web-applications for Institute of Neurology and Neuropsychology
Funding: Contract from Institute of Neurology and Neuropsychology (formerly – Epilepsy Research and Clinical Center)
Period: 2009-2010
Description: Developing for Institute of Neurology and Neuropsychology
a) web-portal with appropriate databases
b) Electronic patient record and modern electronic patient registry platform and software with appropriate support and maintenance training.
Developing Emergency Medicine System for Georgia with emphasis on Emergency Department at Central Clinical Hospital of Tbilisi State Medical University
Funding: subgrant to PfH from PfID/Emory University/USAID.
Period: 2007-09
COST IS0605: Econ@Tel - Telecommunications Economics COST network
Funding: Econ@Tel consortium from COST EU program - European COoperation in the field of Scientific and Technical research
Period: 2007-2011
Description: developing European network of international research and trainings for studies, analysis, planning and implementation of multiprofile economic models for telecommunications including social (e.g. telemedicine) areas.
web-page: www.cost605.org
Developing Emergency Medicine System for Georgia with emphasis on Emergency Department at Central Clinical Hospital of Tbilisi State Medical University
Funding: subgrant to PfH from PfID/Emory University/USAID.
Period: 2007-09
Training to develop modern Emergency Department at the Central Clinical [Republican] Hospital
Funding: subgrant to PfH from World learning/USAID START program.
Period: 2007
Description: Providing necessary technical assistance training and capacity development planning for modern ED at leading teaching university hospital - Acad. N. Kipshidze CCH.
Certificate Training of Healthcare Managers and Nurses
Funding: subgrant to PfH from AIHA/USAID.
Period: 2006 - 2007
Description: Continuation of Nursing and Healthcare Management training component from 4-year PfID proposal (see below). About 100-100 nurses and HM were trained in different state-owned hospitals in Tbilisi and Kutaisi. The activities were part of Atlanta-Tbilisi Healthcare Partnership program through American International Health Alliance.
Intellectual Integration and Effective Management of the Global Fund Georgian HIV/AIDS Projects by using Information Technologies
Funding: contract to PfH from Georgian Health and Social Project Implementation Center (GHSPIC).
Period: 2006 - 2008
Description: Multifunctional multilingual web-portal www.gpic.org.ge created in Feb 2007. With two paramount parts - a) open access public web-site - http://www.gpic.org.ge - providing updated news about GF projects and activities both at world-scale and inside Georgia and
b) restricted access Intranet for project participants - CCM, GHSPIC and Implementing agencies - http://intranet.gpic.org.ge/login.php - it nests the most updated information about projects and capacity of coordination between participants and efficient management tools. Thus serving as a first step in moving towards Health Intelligence Services as defined by WHO, as well as toolkit for advanced distributed learning and remote office.
Development and Maintenance of Tbilisi Ambulance Service web-portal
Funding: Contract with 033 Tbilisi Ambulance service
Period - 2007-08 (web-page was abandoned by new administration of Ambulance Service in 2010.)
Sustainability of Georgian Health system web-portal
Funding: grant from OSGF - OSI (Soros Foundation).
Period: 2006-07
Description:
Small grant to develop sustainable model of Georgian Health System web-page - in format of Ministerial web-page as well as web-page for consumers and health professionals - www.medportal.ge. Secure sustainability by provision of banners for healthcare institutions, medical centers, insurance companies and medical technology companies. Databases of guidelines, health promotion materials, drug information leaflets, medical institutions (with their licensing information) and medical professionals free web-pages will be another feature of this web-site which has got #1 prize award at first Georgian Internet Sites competition
Capacity Building for Hospital Sector of Georgia (Gudushauri National Medical Center and Iashvili Children Central Hospital)
Funding: subgrant to PfID from AIHA/USAID.
Period: 2003 - 2006
US partner - Partners for International Development, PfID (Dr. Kenneth Walker);
Georgian Partners: Gudushauri National Medical Center (NMC); Iashvili Children Central Hospital (CCH)
Description: 4 year workplan (2003-2006) - assisting two backbone tertiary level hospitals of Georgian Health system - Gudushauri National Medical Center (NMC) and Iashvili Children Central Hospital (CCH) in four major areas: a) finance; b) administration; c) medical care and quality assurance; d) professional development. Assist in developing new services at partner hospitals. Organizing workshops in Nursing, Healthcare Management, Quality improvement/clinical practice guidelines development and Information Technologies for the healthcare personnel by using local resources. Establishing standards of care in medical and nursing field, developing clinical practice guidelines, creating modern system of quality assurance system, assisting in provision of medical informatics resources, distance learning and teleconsulting with western partners. The activities are part of Atlanta-Tbilisi Healthcare Partnership program through American International Health Alliance.
Swedish (SIDA) Cooperative Project - Training of Human Resources for Modernized System of Healthcare of Georgia (technical coordination)
Funding: SIDA - Swedish International Cooperation Development Agency
Period: 1999-2003
Swedish partner - Swedish Health Care AB (Malmö, Sweden),
Georgian partner - Ministry of Health of Georgia.
Technical Coordinator - Zviad Kirtava, PfH.
Description:
During project period 50 managers of Primary care and Public Health, 48 hospital managers, 30 specialists of hospital infection control, 9 medical equipment managers and over 40 engineers from Georgia have been trained according to the curriculum, and tiered workshops and study tours both in Tbilisi and in Sweden. Over 25 workshops, 12 study tours, 18 trips by Swedish experts to provide workshops in Tbilisi and 8 assessment missions to Sweden have been planned and organized in cooperation with Swedish partner (Dr. Kerry Persson). 44 individual projects in public health and primary care have been prepared by participants. Hospital training component has been concentrated on 5 major hospitals in public domain - National Medical Center, Children Central Hospital, TB and Pulmonology Center, Infectious Disease, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Center, Imereti Regional Clinical Hospital (Kutaisi).
Update of National Public Health Web-server for Georgia
Funding: Open Society Foundation (Soros Foundation) and Open Society Georgia Foundation.
Period: 2001-2003
Description: A new web-portal of the Georgian Health system www.health.net.ge has been developed with extensive data on country- and regional-wide health statistics, as well as legal, educational, scientific, institutional and other areas of health and social care in Georgia. The web-page has been evaluated by the Public Health Board of the Open Society among other 8 similar projects in Central and Eastern Europe and CIS countries and has been awarded 2nd place.
Co-organization of the ISN First Executive Conference Information Technology Prospects in the Caucasus
Funding: International Relations and Security Network (ISN, Switzerland).
Period: 2001
Description:
Social Dimension track's coordination and management for the above mentioned conference, which has been held in Tbilisi June 13-15, 2001 with 4 major fields of IT development - technology, political, economical and social. Over 110 experts from Switzerland, US, Germany, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia participated. Organizer - International Relations and Security Network (ISN, Switzerland). http://www.isn.ethz.ch/caucasus Partner - Michel Hess, ISN, Zurich, Switzerland.
Health Technology Assessment - National Program Development for Georgia
Funding: Assistance Project of the European Health Committee (CDSP) of the Council of Europe (CoE)
Period: 2000-2001
Description: a Green paper in Health Technology Assessment Policy has been drafted by organizing two workshops (involving German and Swiss experts of the CDSP) and task force meetings by Georgian Stakeholders (from the Ministry, Dept of Public Health, Licensing and Accreditation department, etc.)
Interactive, Satellite-based Distance Medical Education Program for Georgia
Partners: International Medical Programs (IMP Inc. N.Y). - Dr. Daniel Weiner, Dr. James Strickler) and Partnership for Peace Information Management System (PIMS) - Dr. Rita Purcell.
Period: 2000-2001
Description: Four three-day programs of Satellite Distance Medical Education has been planned with American partners - IMP in the fields of Acute Coronary syndromes, Tuberculosis, Emergency Care - Blunt chest trauma and Radiation safety. Sessions were based on Streaming Video and NetMeeting videoconferencing and connected Georgian audience with leading clinics in USA - Albany college, Mayo clinic, New York Heart Institute, Uniformed Service University of Health Sciences, Emory University, etc. Materials have been distributed as handouts and presented during sessions with expert panel interactive session on 3rd day of the sessions. Over 410 Georgian doctors participated in this program, 85% of them ranked program very useful and innovative.
Development of the Advanced Distributed Learning platform and modules (open source)
Partners: Partnership for Peace (PfP) Consortium; (USA, represented by Marshall Center for Security Studies, Germany)
International Relations and Security Network (ISN, Switzerland);
Period: Since 2000 - ongoing
Description: To develop Learning Management System (LMS) ILIAS based on Open Source platform and Internet technologies, freely accessible for the participants of the Partnership for Peace (PfP) Consortium members and academicians to develop courses for Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL). Partnership for Peace (PfP) Consortium (Garmish-Partenkirchen, Germany), International Relations and Security Network (ISN, Switzerland) and Zurich Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ,Switzerland). Special ADL workgroup workshop was held up in Tbilisi at the premises of National Information Learning Centre and National Institute of Health in June 2006. The product was presented to the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. Main participants from PfH side - David Jorjoliani and Zviad Kirtava.
Development of High Bandwidth wireless network for Military and Emergency Medicine in Tbilisi
Partner: Partnership for Peace Information Management System (PIMS)
Period: 1999-2000
Description: Partnership for Peace Information Management System (PIMS) has developed a network of institutions linked by point-to-point wireless communication system (Lucent Technologies) and by satellite dish through Eutelsat-3 to the Internet and different databases for Partnership for Peace nations. The institutions linked were: National Information Learning Centre (where PIMS server and satellite dish are located), Center for Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Central Hospital of Tbilisi State Medical University (TSMU), School of Military Medicine of the TSMU and Central Military Hospital. The network was used to pilot telemedicine applications, develop database of Emergency and military medicine, provide access to PfP materials and electronic sources of medical information. Partners - Mr. James Hendrick, Dr. Rita Purcell (PIMS).
Model of Health information Network for Georgia
Funding: Open Society Foundation (Soros Foundation) and Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF).
Period: 1996-97
Description: In 5 regions of Georgia computers have been provided to local healthcare departments, technical personnel train in Internet and e-mail applications. communication established via Tbilisi ATS exchange phone numbers and computers. Also 4 month work of US co-director (Ms. Karen Ruud Marsh) of the NILC has been paid by funding from OSF/OSGF