At SantExpo 2024, the twenty-sixth edition of the Helioscope-GMF Awards took place on May 23, 2024.

Everywhere in France, hospital staff are committed to innovation and patient well-being. Created in 1998 by GMF and the Fondation des Hôpitaux, the Prix Hélioscope-GMF aims to encourage cooperation between hospital departments and professions. Each year, it highlights and rewards inspiring initiatives designed to improve the well-being of patients and their families.

The 1st prize was awarded to the Centre Hospitalier Pierre Loô de la Charité-sur-Loire for its OSONS program. This project organized nature excursions in the Parc des Volcans d’Auvergne to help patients suffering from severe mental disorders adapt better to the hospital environment. Carried out in partnership with the BILOBA association, the stay enabled patients to develop new coping strategies, better manage their emotions and reduce the symptoms of their illness. Caregivers, discovering patients in a different setting, were able to adapt their care practices.

The 2nd prize was awarded to the Centre Hospitalier de l’Ouest Guyanais Franck Joly. This center has set up the Équipe Mobile d’Accompagnement aux Soins (EMAS) to deal with the precarious situation in French Guiana. This team helps the most disadvantaged patients by paying for ambulance transport and prescribing physiotherapy sessions. This facilitates an optimal return home and reduces post-hospitalization complications. The EMAS referent plays a crucial role in explaining care to patients, directing them to the appropriate healthcare professionals and helping them with administrative formalities.

The 3rd prize was awarded to the Roubaix Hospital for its program to combat domestic violence. By training and raising awareness among healthcare staff, the project has improved screening, encouraged victims to speak out and strengthened the reporting culture. IT tools centralize information on violence, and round-table discussions with various partners have enabled us to diagnose the local situation. These initiatives have facilitated the referral of victims to specialists and increased the number of referrals to social services.

The 4th prize was awarded to the Maternité Jeanne de Flandre of the CHRU Lille for its physical activity program for pregnant women. Launched in November 2023, this program offers two weekly sessions of physical activity tailored to the needs of participants. Various approaches are being tested to maintain the interest and pleasure of expectant mothers. Participants’ motivation and satisfaction are assessed at the beginning and end of the program, enabling us to adjust the sessions accordingly.

The 5th Prize was awarded to the EHPAD Les Charmilles and the Résidence Autonomie Les Trèfles in Barlin for their project to integrate a nursery school into the EHPAD premises. The aim of this initiative was to encourage intergenerational exchanges, provide a new home for the local school and break the isolation of the elderly. Inaugurated on January 3, 2023, the school quickly became a weekly meeting place for residents and children. Various workshops and joint outings, such as a visit to the Louvre in Lens, were organized. The project has brought many benefits, creating joy and energy among the children, and weaving complicit relationships between the generations.

Finally, the 6th prize was awarded to the Centre Hospitalier de Valenciennes for its equitherapy project in the Continuing Care Unit. In collaboration with Hassen Bouchakour and his horse Peyo, this project aimed to reduce the anxiety of seriously ill patients. Interactions with Peyo immediately created a calmer, more soothing atmosphere in the unit, stimulating patients and strengthening the bonds with those around them.

By rewarding these exemplary initiatives, we support and celebrate the efforts of hospital staff. Their creativity and dedication positively transform the care experience. We will continue to promote these inspiring projects to make patients’ daily lives more humane and rewarding.