Project
Mental health conditions are highly prevalent across Europe, affecting around one in three adults each year. Despite this high burden, access to timely, coordinated, and continuous care remains limited. This gap is most evident in primary and community care, where mental health problems typically first present. Health systems are increasingly challenged by rising demand, workforce shortages, and demographic change.
Mental health conditions account for an estimated 4–6% of GDP in major European economies, underlining the need for integrated, system-level approaches that strengthen coordination and continuity of care beyond fragmented or isolated solutions.
eRECOVER addresses these challenges by focusing on network-based care models supported by a shared digital infrastructure.
The project develops and evaluates a digital platform that connects regional mental health care networks with structured end-to-end care pathways. The aim is to improve patient orientation, coordination between providers, and continuity of care across sectors.
Working together with patients, healthcare professionals, care providers and system stakeholders, the project:
- co-designs the digital platform and care pathways
- evaluates the platform through user-centred studies
- implements the system within real-world regional care networks
- develops strategies for sustainable integration into routine care across Europe
Through this approach, eRECOVER aims to demonstrate how digitally supported care networks can strengthen primary and community mental health care and improve access to coordinated treatment.
Project Objectives
eRECOVER is a multi-country research and implementation project that aims to strengthen integrated mental health care through a shared, ethically grounded digital infrastructure.
The project pursues four core objectives:
1.
Co-development of a shared digital platform
To design and develop a scalable digital platform that supports coordination and continuity of mental health care across primary and community care networks.
2.
Stakeholder-driven design and evaluation
To co-design, test, and refine the platform together with healthcare professionals, patients, researchers, and technical experts, ensuring usability, relevance, and acceptance across different countries and care settings.
3.
Real-world implementation and evaluation
To implement the platform in established care networks and evaluate feasibility, acceptance, and effectiveness under real-world conditions using health services research methods.
4.
Transfer and sustainability
To develop strategies for sustainable integration into routine care, addressing organisational, regulatory, and system-level conditions for long-term scalability across European health systems.
The eRECOVER Approach
eRECOVER follows an integrated, network-based approach to digital mental health care, structured into two interconnected layers:
Network layer
Supports coordination and transparency across regional care networks.
End-to-end care pathway layer
Enables structured care from digital access and assessment to treatment, monitoring, and relapse prevention.
The approach focuses on the CORE-5 mental health condition clusters in primary and community care, where early access, stepped care, and continuity are especially important.
Clinical responsibility always remains with qualified healthcare professionals.
Work Packages
eRECOVER is implemented through six interlinked work packages (WP1–WP6) that jointly cover governance, co-design, development, evaluation, and long-term impact.
WP1
Project Coordination, Ethics & Regulatory Framework
Project governance, coordination, and alignment with ethical and regulatory requirements across participating European countries.
WP2
Requirements Analysis, UX Research & Design Specification
Stakeholder engagement and user-centred research to define cross-national requirements and develop design specifications for the platform.
WP3
Technical Development & Content Adaptation
Development of the shared digital platform and adaptation of clinical and intervention content for multilingual use.
WP4
Real-World Implementation & Clinical Evaluation
Implementation within existing care networks and evaluation using health services research methods.
WP5
Societal Acceptance, Policy Alignment & Health Economics
Assessment of societal readiness, policy alignment, reimbursement perspectives, and health-economic implications.
WP6
Communication, Dissemination, Exploitation & Sustainability
Project communication, dissemination of results, exploitation planning, and long-term sustainability beyond the project duration.
European Added Value
eRECOVER is a transnational project involving partners from Germany, Austria, France, Spain, and Switzerland. Its European added value lies in cross-country collaboration, stakeholder-driven co-creation, and the systematic transfer of knowledge across different health system contexts.
Aligned with the objectives of the Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS) Partnership, eRECOVER contributes to person-centred, community-oriented, and resilient health systems by bringing coordinated mental health care closer to people’s everyday lives.
Follow the progress of the eRECOVER project
We provide regular updates on key milestones, consortium meetings, stakeholder workshops, platform development, implementation activities, and dissemination outputs across partner countries.