Three neighbouring regions in the Mont Blanc area of alpine Europe joined forces to develop and promote mountain medicine services using telemedicine and tele-consultation technologies. Results from the e-Res@mont project benefit people who live in and visit Valle d’ Aosta in Italy, the Haute Savoie in France and the Swiss canton of Valais. The project team also explored areas of research and treatment for acute mountain sickness.
Making IT work for mountain medicine services around Mont Blanc
- 05 April 2020
e-Res@mont developed advanced local services of mountain medicine. The cooperation between Italy, France and Switzerland improved the technologies of e-medicine and remote consultancy, research on altitude sickness and informative contents, and promoted this via an app. By strengthening health services in isolated territories, e-Res@mont helped to counteract depopulation and improve tourism.
The services established by eRes@mont are aimed at meeting the needs of people who live and work in this isolated mountain area, as well as holidaymakers, mountaineers and walkers. By complementing existing medical services, the project outputs should increase the attractiveness of the region by combating de-population and encouraging more tourists to visit.
Developing new resources
eRes@mont developed and tested:
a healthcare model based on a tele-consulting service; an app that is available at any time and without an internet connection, which provides access to information on acute mountain sickness, self-assessment health status questionnaires and emergency contact numbers; a mouth mask for treating acute mountain sickness; and the effectiveness of a medicine to treat frostbite.During the project’s trial phase, 702 tele-consultations were held in Valle d’Aosta at 10 pre-selected sites during the winter and summer of 2018. These interventions helped the project to rationalise and correct the management of emergency assistance. The trials helped identify other medical services that could be required over and above the initial tele-consultation, such as an ambulance or helicopter evacuation.
e-Res@mont’s tele-consultation services have been supported through the training of operators involved in mountain medicine and promotion of the service via the app.
High-mountain medical studies
The project team carried out several complementary medical studies focused on the human body’s response to high-altitude environments. A pathophysiological study examined the response of subjects with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases to high altitude. A genetic study explored the short and long-term consequences of extended levels of stress and lack of sleep in endurance athletes, particularly those involved in the major competitions held at altitude, such as the Tor des Géants and the Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc.
In addition, an epidemiological study looked into disorders associated with high altitude, with the aim of evaluating the influence exercised by lifestyle and individual risk factors on the development of acute mountain sickness. Findings from the studies will help to inform future treatment protocols for high-altitude medicine.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “e-Res@mont” is EUR 824 423, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 794 860 through the “Interreg VA France-Italy ALCOTRA” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “ICT”.