The research area “Health Care Systems and Patient Orientation” examines medical, inpatient care and other health-related care processes in the transition between ambulatory and hospital treatment as well as in the patient's home. The aim is to provide a valid description of the reality of care, in order to derive digital, technical and organisational concepts for improving care, to conduct an evaluation of interventions in the healthcare system and to process patient data in compliance with data protection regulations. In addition, the research focus integrates the perspectives of patients as users of healthcare services with their individual needs and requirements, and thereby aims to strengthen patient sovereignty.

The INGVER project (Intersectoral Care for Vulnerable Groups, BMFTR, 2024-2027) is dedicated to improving the care of medically vulnerable groups through a cross-sectoral, individualised and interdisciplinary approach. These groups – including high-risk newborns, oncology patients and older people – have specific, sometimes complex medical and psychosocial needs and requirements that call for intensive and personalised care and support. To this end, intersectoral networking, i.e. cooperation between inpatient and outpatient health care facilities and home care, is particularly important. A key element here is the development of a diagnostics and data integration centre that continuously collects and integrates data. The aim is to incorporate cross-sectoral information into personalised treatment plans to ensure seamless and interdisciplinary care. In addition, the border region between Germany and the Netherlands is being used to identify informal support structures with the aim to integrate them into health care models. This is also the focus of the CHARE-GD I and II projects (Comparison of healthcare structures, processes and outcomes in the Northern German and Dutch cross-border region , MWK, 2021-2024 and 2022-2025, in co-operation with the University of Groningen). They investigate the differences in healthcare between Germany and the Netherlands in the border region. The studies focus on topics such as the treatment of antibiotic resistance, the results of hip operations and the spread of multi-resistant bacteria. The aim is to compare the healthcare systems of both countries in order to learn from each other and optimise healthcare in the border region through this exchange of knowledge.

In the “Future of Care” research cluster, which has been funded by the BMBF since 2017, technological innovations in care are being developed and disseminated. In the sub-project PIZ 2.0 (Care Innovation Centre, BMFTR, 2024-2029, in co-operation with the University of Bremen), innovative technologies are being developed to relieve the physical and mental strain on health care professionals and promote the independence of people in need of care. The aim of this project is to establish and maintain a Centre of Excellence for innovations in care at the affiliated Institute OFFIS, which continuously develops technical innovations to support health care professionals, tests products on the market and from research projects, and makes the results available to the professional public and for further education and training in real-world laboratories.

Within the BMFTR-funded junior research group “Nutrition and physical function in older adults”, the AS-Tra project (assistance system for the sustainable improvement of the nutritional and mobility status of older people, taking into account the transtheoretical model of behaviour change, BMBF, 2022-2027) is developing a technical assistance system to support seniors aged 70+ in improving their nutritional and their physical activity status. A tablet-based app and a measuring station enable personalised and independent use. The focus here is on integration into health care and reducing barriers to use.

The MWK-funded project TransVer – “Digital Transformation of Healthcare in Rural Areas” (MWK / zukunft.niedersachsen, 2026-2030, in co-operation with the Universities of Groningen and Vechta) is investigating the transformation of medical structures in north-western Lower Saxony. The focus is on the opportunities of a centralised hospital landscape – using the example of the planned central clinic in East Frisia – as well as the use of telemedicine and robotic services for location-independent diagnoses and office hours. The aim is to improve coordination between preventive care, treatment and emergency care.