Download the new version 2 of VASCERN App now!

VASCERN app version 2 was officially launched in August and if you haven’t had a chance to download it yet and try it out, now is the time!

In order to start using VASCERN app version 2, please uninstall and delete version 1, if you had this (or any test version), and then:

Download the free VASCERN App (Version 2) for Android at the Google Store here.

Download the free VASCERN App (Version 2) for IOS on the Apple Store here

VASCERN App is a mobile application that is created for patients in order to facilitate cross-border healthcare within the European Union, one of the core aims of the ERNs. It is a tool that allows patients to search for the most competent Healthcare Providers as well as Patient Organisations related to their rare vascular disease throughout Europe.

The VASCERN App (version 2) includes the following improvements:

• The inclusion of our 7 new Affiliated Partner Centers (they will appear as blue cards, with the HCP Full Members, on the map as “HCP”, with the specification that they are Affiliated Partners).

• The translation of the app’s structure and disease names into various EU languages so that the mobile app will launch in the user’s device language for easier navigation and searching (please note that the content of each HCP card/PO contact card is still in English so that this information is accessible to all).

• The inclusion of Referral Centers (“Ref HCP”) that will appear as green cards: centers that cooperate with the VASCERN European Reference Centers (ERN HCP Full Members and Affiliated Partners) as part of the national networks and that can provide expert care to patients for rare vascular diseases.

The VASCERN app currently includes datasets from:

• 35 Expert centers within our HCP Full Members (blue cards) including: 5 from Belgium, 1 from Denmark, 2 from Finland, 4 from France, 3 from Germany, 1 from Hungary, 1 from Ireland, 5 from Italy, 2 from Sweden, 7 from The Netherlands and 4 from UK.
• 7 Affiliated Partners (blue cards) including: 2 from Austria, 1 from Cyprus, 1 from Luxembourg, 1 from Malta, 1 from Slovenia and 1 from Spain.
• 33 Referral Centers (green cards) including: 3 from Belgium, 22 from France, 2 from Italy, 5 from The Netherlands and 1 from UK.
• 66 Patient Organisations (orange cards) including: 2 from Austria, 4 from Belgium, 5 from Denmark, 4 from Finland, 7 from France, 7 from Germany, 2 from Ireland, 8 from Italy, 2 from Norway, 1 from Poland, 1 from Portugal, 1 from Slovakia, 3 from Spain, 3 from Sweden, 2 from Switzerland, 8 from The Netherlands and 5 from UK.

Together with our members, we will continue our efforts to improve the VASCERN app and better serve the rare disease community by:

• Adding the missing translations of the diseases in all languages for all of our disease groups, with the help of doctors and patient organisations so that the content is as accessible as possible for every European patient. Currently translations for all diseases are available in Czech, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish. Other translations are ongoing.
• Adding new Patient Organisation cards, on the map as “Association”, in cooperation with our European Patient Advocacy Group (ePAG).
• With the help of our members, adding new Referral HCP Centers in Europe, which are members of the national networks of our HCP Members and Affiliated Partners, and are recognised for their experience in taking care of rare vascular diseases patients, to enable patients to find the closest care to their home.
• Correcting any discrepancies in the back office and ensuring the quality of the data entered.
• Promoting the concept of this mobile app within the network of the 24 European Reference Networks for Rare Diseases, in order for this concept to benefit patients with other rare diseases not covered by VASCERN.

Version 2 of the VASCERN app is made possible by development work provided by Media 4 Health, datasets provided by our members, and management, data entry/quality control work by the VASCERN Coordination & Project Team. We equally thank Dr. Alessandro Pini, our VASCERN App Advisor, from IRRCS Policlinico San Donato, Italy. We would also like to thank our members for providing their data and helping us to test the second version before its release. The project has been co-funded by the European Union, Connecting Europe Facility Telecom Call – eHealth for ERNs VASCERN eHealth Services Grant.

Media 4 Health is open to working with other ERNs who wish to create a similar mobile application in order to assist patients with their rare diseases. If interested please contact mario.mauri@m4h.it and info@m4h.it. If several ERNs are interested, they could enquire together as the project could benefit from economies of scale.

We are very excited to share this tool with rare vascular disease patients and all members of the rare disease community and look forward to receiving your feedback on VASCERN app Version 2!

If you have any comments or questions, please send them to: vascern.coordination@aphp.fr