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7 years of hospital immersion:
Spotlighting OB-E, an ambitious initiative led by caregivers for the benefit of patients.

In the first article in this series, we presented LallianSe’s choice to immerse itself in the heart of the hospital, at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, and the genesis of the Innovation Challenge. These calls for projects were designed as springboards to support and promote innovation born in the hospital field, driven by those who care for patients every day

Today, this second article highlights the OB-E project, which particularly caught the jury’s attention during Innovation Challenge #4.

OB-E: An Essential Innovative Response to Address a Major Public Health Issue

Led by Eve DESNOYERS , then a dietitian and coordinator of the Obesity Specialized Center (CSO) in the Ile-de-France region (IDF), and Professor Judith Aron-wisnewsky, a physician-researcher specializing in obesity and related diseases, OB-E offers personalized e-learning support to patients living with overweight or obesity, complementing medical monitoring. Since then, the team has been expanded with the participation of Camille Salaün (new coordinator of the CSO in the IDF Est region and dietitian) and DrMargot Denismedical coordinator of the CSO in the IDF Est region) for the production of new ETP modules.

In France, nearly 48.3% of the population is overweight or obese, a figure that is constantly increasing. Obesity also affects the most socioeconomically disadvantaged twice as frequently. The provision of care, and in particular Therapeutic Patient Education (TPE), remains limited: often offered only in person, it effectively excludes many patients who do not have access to care. This observation led to the creation of OB-E, which makes therapeutic and preventive tools recommended by the French National Authority for Health (HAS), accessible (free of charge for patients), but which are often difficult for patients to access.

From the Innovation Challenge to the creation of a foundation!

When Judith Aron-Wisnewsky and Eve Desnoyers decided to apply for the Innovation Challenge, it was with conviction and ambition:

« We strongly believed in the potential of our project and wanted to share it with others to continue to grow it.»

Winner of the second prize in the Innovation Challenge #4, OB-E received a financial grant of €7,000 and skills sponsorship from LallianSe for 6 months. At the end of this skills sponsorship phase, LallianSe continued its pro bono support – a strong and obvious commitment on the part of the team given the challenge of the project, its potential impact, and the quality of the relationship established with the project leaders. Very quickly, the project became an entrepreneurial adventure for which it was necessary to define the trajectory. Judith Aron-Wisnewsky and Eve Desnoyers explain:

« LallianSe was our guide through the fog, always guiding us back on the path to move forward. Thanks to their advice, we were able to transform a project into an adventure: the creation of a sheltered foundation under the aegis of the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM). LallianSe shared their network of contacts with us to connect us with the FRM. We would never have known who to approach, or dared to approach the FRM, or even thought about becoming a sheltered foundation. We would never have imagined how to approach funders (through sponsorship).»

This pivotal step came to fruition thanks to a connection initiated by LallianSe, which has been working with the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM) for several years. This commitment was accompanied by a strong moral and ethical ambition, without which the collaboration with the FRM would not have been possible. It is precisely this dimension that has made it possible to build a solid, sustainable foundation project aligned with the public interest. Valerie Lemarchandel, Scientific Director of the FRM and member of the Executive Board, recalls:

«What particularly convinced us was the scientific relevance of the project, the potential impact on patients, the scope of general interest, as well as the remarkable commitment and energy of the two project leaders.»

The FRM then proposed a solid legal, administrative and scientific framework, allowing the OB-E project to gain legitimacy and greater sustainability, Valérie Lemarchandel explains:

« The mention under the aegis of the Foundation for Medical Research strengthens the visibility and credibility of the initiatives supported.»

A tripartite collaboration based on trust

This synergy between the two project leaders, the FRM and LallianSe, was decisive and was able to be built on solid foundations:

« From the outset, the collaboration ran smoothly, with a clear division of roles, a dialogue marked by great listening skills and a real dynamic of co-construction » emphasizes Valérie Lemarchandel.

For Judith Aron-Wisnewsky and Eve Desnoyers, the challenge was to navigate a path strewn with administrative and regulatory pitfalls, but always relying on valuable advice and shared expertise.

And today?

The OB-E Foundation, under the aegis of the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale, was born. OB-E is now deployed at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, where it has been widely adopted by healthcare teams and used by more than 300 patients, enabling the initiation of real-life research projects targeted by the ambition of the sheltered foundation (in order to evaluate the benefits of this care tool in real life). Initial additional funding has already been obtained, the team mobilized around the project has grown, with the contributions of Margot Denis and Camille Salaün opening up new perspectives:

« Our objectives are to implement the solution to new themes and to measure the impact of e-course support, while ensuring the sustainability of the structure.»

The role of caregivers in hospital innovation

This adventure illustrates two strong convictions that we have seen over the course of the various editions of the Challenge Innovation:

1. A project can only succeed if it is driven by a complementary team that translates patient needs into reality. Paramedics and physicians are thus the two pillars of this essential alliance to bring innovation to life—beyond individual energy and willpower.
   
2. While ideas are the foundation, their appropriate articulation and perspective are crucial. Operational and strategic capabilities, with a 360° vision, are required to bring projects to fruition.

Judith Aron-Wisnewsky and Eve Desnoyers testify: « Caregivers are constantly innovating to adapt to the needs of their patients. But to innovate beyond daily practice, you have to dare, and LallianSe was the catalyst.»

Beyond these observations, the OB-E project also highlights the exceptional motivation and energy of caregivers: capable of carrying out a demanding and above all engaging initiative, alongside their daily mission with patients.

The final word

For both the FRM and LallianSe, OB-E is an ideal example of what collaboration between fieldwork, strategic support and scientific expertise can produce.

« LallianSe plays a central role in identifying and supporting innovative projects with a strong impact on health. A true catalyst, it facilitates strategic connections and optimizes the chances of success » concludes Valérie Lemarchandel.

At LallianSe, we are proud of this support, and convinced that innovation is born above all from the meeting of skills, ambition and trust.

In our next article, we will continue this series with two other winning projects: T-OUT and Pikidou, supported by the experience of Romain Gombert, who helped to bring these projects to fruition.

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  Hospital Immersion Series – Article #2
  7 years of hospital immersion: Spotlighting OB-E, an ambitious initiative led by caregivers for the benefit of patients. In the first article in this series, we presented LallianSe’s choice to … Continue reading “Hospital Immersion Series – Article #2”
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  Hospital Immersion Series – Article #1
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Innovation by and for caregivers:
from idea to reality

Or how the daily lives of caregivers can also be translated into innovations and benefits for everyone, including the hospital

Context

LallianSe was born 10 years ago from a strong observation: despite France’s scientific and technological excellence, too few medical innovations provide concrete benefits to patients. How can we bridge this persistent gap between research, clinical benefits, and viable business models?

As a healthcare integrator, our mission is to translate these innovations into economic successes. We design and manage tailor-made support programs for inventors, researchers, and ambitious projects. Since our inception, we have supported more than 100 companies by mobilizing a community of 50+ experts, working alongside executives and managers.

This observation has guided all of our actions, including our decision in 2017 to initiate a physical presence within the hospital, at the Pitié-Salpêtrière in Paris, through the first coworking space for healthcare startups immersed in a hospital environment. This immersion has helped to drive the Innovation Challenge, a mechanism for the emergence, support, and financing of paramedical innovations.

LallianSe has pioneered an original approach to foster innovation directly at the heart of the hospital, by and for caregivers. After four editions of these Innovation Challenges, we are sharing feedback on this hospital immersion. This is an opportunity not only to highlight the wealth of ideas, but also to support the dynamic of co-construction that has enabled the support of these innovators, in close collaboration with the Research Innovation Department (DRI) of the GHU APHP.Sorbonne Université.

Immersion: understanding needs as closely as possible

In 2017, LallianSe decided to establish a physical presence within the hospital. The original idea? To open a space for dialogue between caregivers, entrepreneurs, and innovators. This pilot project enabled:

1. To establish a direct dialogue between startups and healthcare professionals;
2. To better understand the innovation culture of the institution and, more broadly, the University Hospital Group (GHU);
3. To identify decision-makers and innovation stakeholders within the hospital;
4. To bring the original ideas conceived by the winners to fruition, for the benefit of patients and institutions.

Co-construction, as presented below, with the Research and Innovation Department (DRI), represented at this time by Mathilde Lefèvre and Tatiana Akake, former director and deputy director at the launch of the second and third editions of the Innovation Challenge, was a decisive lever. Without this collaboration, and without the trust of the hospital management, the initiative could not have taken root.

“The Innovation Challenges offered the DRI the opportunity to promote new working methods among the GHU’s paramedical teams, drawing on the collaboration with LallianSe. Witnessing the realization of ideas from the field, carried out by passionate and committed professionals, was a professional experience that was both enriching and rewarding. This initiative fully illustrates the capacity of hospitals to think of healthcare innovation that is close to care and aware of daily realities.”

Tatiana Akake, former Deputy Director of Research and Innovation at GHU APHP. Sorbonne Université.

The Challenge Innovation

Two main principles for these Challenges: their project leaders, the paramedics, and the methods – a combination of financing and support.

Healthcare innovation is too rarely driven by paramedical staff. Whether they are nurses, managers, physiotherapists, nutritionists, or laboratory technicians, for example, their daily lives and challenges nonetheless provide a solid source of innovation. Medical devices, diagnostics, healthcare services, innovative solutions—these are all realities and concrete projects that have been imagined, proposed, and some of them brought to fruition. This is what we wanted to promote as a starting point and initiative in order to develop not only a culture of innovation, but also to propose impactful and concrete projects.

The principle of the Challenges? A combination of funding (a grant of €3,000 to €20,000) and strategic and operational support equivalent to approximately €12,000 to €13,000 to give the winning projects the best possible chance of success. The projects were evaluated, analyzed, and, for some editions, prepared by specific coaches and teams—both within the hospital and externally, with privileged partnerships.

How are these competitions financed?

Uniquely, the winning projects were co-financed. The funding was partly provided by the hospital group and partly by profits raised from FestiLAB, an annual charity event organized by LallianSe thanks to the support of patrons from the healthcare innovation ecosystem—entrepreneurs, recruiters, legal advisors, investors, and others.

Finally, the support offered through skills-based sponsorship enabled the various projects to be supported for 6 to 12 months, with monthly working sessions, targeted introductions to key service providers tailored to the project, and specific and relevant networking initiatives based on identified needs. We will have the opportunity to return to these elements in a future article.

Innovation also lies in the way these initiatives are brought to life!

Concretely, how do these competitions take place?

With an optimized schedule spanning several months, these competitions served several objectives:

1. To bring innovation projects led by healthcare providers to fruition and meeting their needs;
2. To bring together the candidate teams, contribute to talent development and increase their attractiveness;
3. To develop a strong identity for the institutions involved, focused on innovation.

To be shortlisted and then apply, projects had to meet three cumulative criteria:

1. Relate to a healthcare innovation (service, treatment, device, etc.);
2. Meet a general need;
3. Be led by paramedical staff.

Each year, the application process was improved. Several design thinking workshops quickly supported the teams, from preselection to project submission, to challenge the concept, improve the quality of the submitted applications, and test the commitment of the teams wishing to apply. By joining this program, the project leader also agreed, in return, to receive training in entrepreneurship and best practices. In addition, additional workshops were added for more advanced projects, including interactions with relevant hospital departments (care coordinators, information systems, administrative staff, research, etc.), thus providing project leaders with a complementary perspective.

At the end of the process, a jury composed of hospital, university, and LallianSe representatives awarded the projects each year with the highest potential for success and dissemination.

A total of seven projects were awarded between 2018 and 2023, across four editions. A dedicated article will highlight these winners and their innovations.

What is the impact of these innovation competitions?

After 4 Innovation Challenges organized and piloted, more than 75 projects received, 7 projects rewarded totaling €57,000 in cumulative prizes and the equivalent of €100,000 in support from LallianSe, here is some feedback:

1. Staff motivation and engagement are crucial. Why not turn this energy into action? Support from management, appropriate recognition (recognition, time), and team training could be avenues to explore. One participant described this experience as “a boost to the development of initiatives; help and support to ensure we don’t give up when the institution struggles to play its catalytic role.” The “snowball” effect observed from one year to the next through a growing number of applications demonstrates the positive influence of these competitions on the spirit of innovation within healthcare institutions.
2. While ideas are essential, their implementation and implementation are crucial. Operational and strategic capabilities, with a 360° vision, are required to make ideas a reality. The selection of service providers, the definition of specifications, the preparation of financing plans, the dialogue with stakeholders, and the anticipation of the resources (human and financial) required to bring the project to life are among the key areas addressed during the support provided.
3. Encouraging the development of skills in project management, entrepreneurship, and innovation, particularly through design thinking workshops and customized training programs included in the competition process, enabled participants to develop or enhance key skills that can be applied in their daily practices, thus fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

This dynamic of innovation, while particularly rich, has also shown its limitations. One of the initial objectives was to prioritize innovation driven by paramedical professionals. It should be noted that in more than 80% of cases, physicians were particularly involved. Can we therefore speak of solely paramedical or medical innovation? Shouldn’t it be better to prioritize the interest of the project itself—and the benefits brought to patients or the healthcare system—over the qualifications of its leader? The debate is open!

Projects necessarily take place over a long period of time, often unrelated to care or even individual objectives or the department concerned; how can these projects therefore be incorporated into the professional careers or daily lives of caregivers?

Furthermore, the institution’s vision and culture are essential for supporting and uniting this type of initiative over the long term, beyond personal experiences. How can it be made visible and understandable to everyone? How can this commitment be incorporated into compatible timeframes for everyone?

Furthermore, dissemination and opening beyond the “original” services where the projects were born require additional resources (and often financial and human), which must be identified and mobilized in a very strong way. Difficult in parallel with a care activity… How to combine one’s care activity with the development of large-scale projects?

“The fertility of the projects, the commitment of all the staff involved, and the vision of better health proposed by the winners of the Innovation Challenge demonstrate and give confidence in the capacity for innovation driven by the “field”. Beyond the innovation itself, we must also anticipate its deployment and expansion, without forgetting its financing.”

Julie Rachline, CEO LallianSe

Conclusion

These editions confirmed a strong conviction: it is essential to create spaces for experimentation and freedom to enable hospital innovation.

For the hospital, these competitions have not only allowed innovation projects to emerge, but also to highlight certain “serial” inventor personnel, a particularly rich and dense dynamic of projects that should be disseminated and highlighted within the framework of specific events. It is also, for the ecosystem that has actively contributed through sponsorship activities – the FestiLAB or the LallianSe skills sponsorship in support – a virtuous circle to better understand the challenges faced by caregivers and their daily lives, to better understand how our health system works and how to make some improvements. This dialogue also allows investors, entrepreneurs, researchers and other committed people to better understand the key success factors for innovative health products. None of this would have been possible without the close collaboration with the Research Innovation Department and the determined support in particular of Mathilde Lefèvre and Tatiana Akake, to bring this dynamic to life.

In the next article, we’ll meet some of the winners to gather their insights on this experience and explore together how field innovation can continue to grow to serve caregivers and patients.