Additum drives the transformation of the COPD care process within the Q-CARE project

Q-CARE

The project “Q-CARE – Quantum Computing and AI to Revolutionize Excellence and Digitalization in the Healthcare Sector,” in which Additum participates as a partner, has been selected to receive funding under the Science and Innovation Missions Program. This strategic initiative reinforces Additum’s commitment to applied innovation, sustainability, and improved health outcomes.

Technology Alliance

Along with Additum, the companies participating in this initiative are GSK, Izertis, Fsas Technologies (Fujitsu) and Qilimanjaro, companies with extensive experience in improving healthcare processes, as well as in the development and application of quantum technologies and artificial intelligence.

The project

The project also has the support of leading research centers and universities in Spain, including Eurecat, TIC Salut Social, CITIC, CiTIUS and the Galicia Sur Health Research Institute, through the Neumovigo I+i group.

A key project in the Digital Health Mission

The Q-CARE project: Quantum Computing and Advanced AI to Revolutionize Excellence and Digitalization in the Healthcare Sector falls under Mission 6: Digital Health: Driving the Development of Biomedical Technologies Based on Digital Systems, corresponding to the 2024 call for proposals of the Science and Innovation Missions Program.

This mission aims to boost and expand the digital health ecosystem in Spain, promoting the development of advanced biomedical technologies and the digitalization of the healthcare system to address the challenges arising from an aging population. In this context, it fosters the creation of biomedical tools, systems, and applications that improve healthcare services, addressing structural and demographic challenges, as well as key areas such as the efficient management of biomedical data, the development of advanced medical devices, and the integration of information and communication technologies in disease monitoring and treatment.

The initiative aligns with national and European priorities and seeks to strengthen Spain’s position in the field of digital health and bioelectronics, a global market that reached USD 27.51 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 78.53 billion in 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.01%.

Q-CARE: Public-Private Collaboration for More Advanced Healthcare

Q-CARE is a public-private partnership project that brings together some of the most established companies and research organizations in the healthcare and ICT sectors, both nationally and internationally. Led by Fujitsu, the project aims to advance the application of Advanced Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, and quantum-inspired technologies to:

- The identification of new chemical compounds.
- The reconstruction of phylogenetic trees in genomics.

The optimization of care processes in the healthcare setting.

These lines of research range from the use of quantum computing and advanced AI algorithms in virtual screening and docking procedures for drug discovery, to the application of quantum mechanical principles to improve the accuracy and scalability of calculations in the field of genomics.

The use of these advanced technologies is also planned for the monitoring and management of various complex general and chronic healthcare processes, with a particular focus on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This will progress from the use of quantum technologies to improve the diagnostic process, to the investigation of advanced AI technologies for improving adherence to inhaled therapies, and for patient follow-up and monitoring. This multidimensional approach to quantum computing and advanced AI in healthcare promises to revolutionize both therapeutic efficacy and diagnostic accuracy, offering a more advanced and personalized healthcare paradigm.

The project lasts 16 months, starting on September 9, 2024 and ending on December 31, 2025, and is structured into three major research activities.

Additum’s leadership in optimizing the care process in COPD

At Additum, we play a key role in Q-CARE, leading the work stream focused on optimizing and improving the efficiency of healthcare processes, with a specific focus on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Our contribution centers on analyzing in depth how care for these patients is currently structured and identifying opportunities for improvement that will allow us to move towards a more efficient, personalized, and sustainable care model.

To this end, we address the study of the patient’s complete journey, from diagnosis to chronic follow-up, integrating clinical, organizational, technological, and environmental perspectives. This analysis is aligned with the principles of the Comprehensive Care Plan for COPD Patients and current referral protocols, paying particular attention to adapting the care process to different patient profiles and the variables that influence each phase. Innovatively, this work incorporates, for the first time, the assessment of the environmental impact and carbon footprint associated with the various clinical and organizational actions, integrating ecodesign criteria as a key element in optimizing healthcare.

Based on this knowledge, Additum promotes the use of advanced artificial intelligence and quantum-inspired technologies to analyze the actions generated in the various interactions between the healthcare system and the patient. This approach allows for the development of new methodologies and advanced models to support clinical decision-making, aimed at improving the efficiency of care processes, strengthening continuity of care, and contributing to a better quality of life for people with COPD. All of this is being developed in close collaboration with the project partners, whose expertise is essential for further understanding referral criteria, therapeutic adherence, and the environmental impact assessment of inhaled treatments.

Commitment to more efficient, personalized and sustainable healthcare

Additum’s participation in Q-CARE reinforces its commitment to transforming healthcare processes by integrating technological innovation, sustainability, and a patient-centered approach. Through its leadership in these key areas and collaboration with a leading partner ecosystem, Additum is actively contributing to laying the foundations for a new, more efficient, personalized, and environmentally responsible healthcare paradigm, aligned with the major challenges facing the healthcare system.