The SHERPA (Smart Human-centred Effortless support for Professional clinical Applications) project has officially crossed the finish line of its first year! On February 11th and 12th, project partners gathered at the historic Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Barcelona to celebrate Year 1 achievements and ignite the engine for Year 2.

Representing HFC, our CEO Dr. Astrid Oehme and our colleague Prathamesh Bachche joined the consortium to review the critical role human factors play in the success of AI-driven assistive healthcare technologies in clinical settings.

HFC’s Contribution: Bridging Technology and the Human Element

At HFC, our mission within SHERPA is to ensure that cutting-edge innovations in Interventional Radiology aren’t just technologically advanced, but are also intuitive, safe, and sustainable for the stakeholders, i.e. clinicians and patients who use them.

During the meeting, Astrid presented an update on the extensive work conducted by HFC over the past year. Our efforts have been central to defining how we measure "success" beyond mere technical specs:

• Clinical Study Design: We provided expert guidance on user-related outcomes, ensuring that upcoming clinical trials are designed to capture the real-world human experience.
• Impact Framework Development: HFC is currently assisting in creating the initial framework for evaluating how assistive technologies truly influence the clinical environment.
• Outcome & Metric Identification: We identified and summarized the key metrics required to measure the impact of these technologies on:
  • Patient Experience: Ensuring higher standards of care and comfort.
  • Workload & Workflow: Reducing cognitive load and streamlining complex processes.
  • Work Performance & Efficiency: Increasing precision in neurovascular and interventional oncology procedures.
  • Workforce Sustainability: Supporting the long-term well-being and retention of medical professionals.

A Productive Outlook for Year 2

The Barcelona meeting, hosted by Josep Munuera and his team, served as a powerful reminder of the collaborative spirit driving this Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) partnership. As we look toward to 2026, the SHERPA project will continue to gain momentum. With dedicated sessions planned for ECR 2026, the focus remains on empowering clinicians and making Image-Guided Therapies safer and more accessible across Europe.

"It was inspiring to reconnect with our partners in such a gorgeous historic setting." — Dr. Astrid Oehme, CEO of HFC.

Funded by the European Union (101194744). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

The project is supported by the Innovative Health Initiative and its members