For a Human-Centered AI

Trentino Salute+, the app that encourages healthy lifestyles

June 5, 2018

Trentino Salute+, the new application that promotes health and healthy lifestyles through a system of social and personal incentives

[TS4.0 PRESS RELEASE] A year ago it was an idea, a suggestion and today it is reality. Just launch one of the main app stores, download the application and accept the health challenges, led by virtual coach “Salbot”. Let’s talk about Trentino Salute+, the new application that promotes health and healthy lifestyles through a system of social and personal incentives, designed and created by a mixed work group, the Competence Center on Digital Health “TrentinoSalute4.0“, made up by the Department of Health and Social Policies (coordinator), the Department of Health and Social Solidarity, Trento Province Healthcare System and Fondazione Bruno Kessler. The idea of ​​developing a project of this type came up during a public debate in the past edition of the Festival of Economics and today the application is available and was presented by Province Government councilor for health and social policies Luca Zeni during the event “How jobs in healthcare change in the digital age”. There are already 11 social initiatives involved and 7 commercial enterprises where it will be possible to have discounts. The proposals of the virtual coach, in terms of improving lifestyles, are “certified” and approved by the Healthcare System and based on national and provincial studies. The project was also presented to the Medical Association and Pharmacists Association.

Active Trentino people and the incentive system
Trentino Salute+ (pronounced “Salute plus”) adds to the traditional communication and health promotion campaigns and, through the use of new technologies, interfaces with an active citizen, who can and is willing to be the protagonist of their choices about health. Also thanks to a dual incentive system (donate, receive).
Let’s see how it works. Once I have downloaded the app, I have to authenticate with my health card; at that point I am asked to complete a questionnaire on my eating habits, physical activity, propensity to the so-called risk behaviors (alcohol and smoking), and  degree of social inclusion (voluntary and associationism). Once I have defined how healthy my lifestyle is, I am advised about the areas in which I can improve and suggested personalized challenges to keep me healthy (eating a certain number of fruit and vegetables servings, doing a certain amount of physical activity, etc.), as calibrated and customized as possible based on the initial questionnaire. In facing the challenges, I will be guided by a virtual coach and “incentivized”, both from a social and personal point of view: in practice, every time I reach an intermediate goal, I accrue “social points” that I can assign to a health promotion initiative supported by an association. When I exceed a certain threshold of “social points”, a social initiative will actually receive financial resources. I can donate, but also receive, because at every challenge I can get discounts and gifts for the purchase of products/services related to health and healthy lifestyles offered by business partners.

How are social initiatives and businesses selected
A Steering Committee, where the Autonomous Province of Trento is present through the Department of Health and Social Solidarity, APSS and FBK, selects social initiatives based on the criteria and methods for funding innovative initiatives in health promotion provided for by the Provincial Law on social policies. The contribution for each initiative cannot in any case exceed the total sum of 5 thousand euros per year, per single association. As for companies offering discounts and free gifts, special agreement criteria have been set up.

Please find more information on the project, application forms for interested social initiatives or commercial partnersproviding discounts/gifts on the Trentino Salute (PAT) website.


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