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
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…
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?
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
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.