A virtual reality simulator that predicts patients' health, winner of the University of Navarra's Kickoff Hackathon

More than 180 first-year students gathered during their first day at the University of Navarra to carry out an express innovation competition. The HACKATHON, the Anglo-Saxon term for this subject of activities, consisted of solving in less than three hours a challenge proposed by CINFA: how to improve adherence to treatment for patients who often do not follow the recommended guidelines correctly. "The experience of this challenge at School was very positive, both for the first-year students and for those of us who accompanied them during the workshop. Their passion, dedication and creativity made the event a success. In addition, the hackathon showed that partnership between professionals and joining forces to drive innovation are essential in the healthcare sector, so we are already thinking about future editions. With this competition we want them to realize, from day one, how important they are going to be as healthcare professionals in society and that they have a lot of potential," said Pedro González Muniesa, Associate Dean of students at School of Pharmacy and Nutrition.

Finally, the team formed by Pablo Chacón, Alicia Martínez, Itsaso Blasquiz, Mikel Jimenez, Tania Zamora and Camille Reguero, managed to develop the best innovation project : a virtual reality simulator that sample to its users the consequences they will suffer if they do not adhere correctly to their treatments. In addition, the app offers a personalized solution and a health accompaniment to make the patient aware of the negative effects it would have on their health.
Julio Sanchez, director Innovation at CINFA, presented along with his team the challenge at auditorium of the Science Library. "quotation DE JULIO"

For a patient to be considered adherent to his or her treatment, four conditions must be met: not forgetting to take the medication, following the recommended dietary guidelines, taking the medication at the indicated times and not stopping the medication, even if the patient is feeling better. Currently, 50% of patients do not adhere correctly to the prescribed guideline , which has negative consequences on their health.

COMPETITION METHODOLOGY

During the competition, the students carried out an innovation methodology in different phases. First, a stage of training of the teams and reformulation of the challenge and later, a second stage of development of the idea and validation of the proposal.

A team made up of professors from the School of Pharmacy and Nutrition, professionals from the University of Navarra's biosanitary Schools and experts in innovation, accompanied the students during the development of their projects, advising and mentoring each of the proposals. "We are very impressed with the proposals that all the students have elaborated on their first day. Without a doubt, they have a very promising future ahead of them," explains Guillermo García del Barrio, director of Education at Innovation Factory, Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Navarra.

Finally, five teams reached the final where they had to carry out a public exhibition of project before a jury of experts from CINFA, Innovation Factory and the School of Pharmacy and Nutrition of the University of Navarra.