InterFamily’s Ongoing Pilot Project on NCD Screening Within SHOW4 Health Project

The Family Medicine Clinic “InterFamily” is successfully  running a special pilot project within SHOW4 Health  Project  in Uzhgorod to support the health of internally displaced people (IDPs). The project focuses on early screening for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, diabetes, and mental health conditions.

Three-Part Approach to Better Health

This project is built on three main pillars. In the first part, InterFamily provides targeted training for doctors, nurses, and clinic staff. These short (2–3 hour) sessions teach healthcare providers how to:

• Teach, Plan and Carry out Screening  of  non-communicable diseases
• Management of patients with the diagnosed chronic diseases 
• Rehab -Support recovery from serious events like strokes or heart attacks

Addressing Hidden Mental Health Challenges

The InterFamily team observed that many IDPs often report physical symptoms instead of underlying mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression. To address this:

• Special screening tools and communication techniques were added to the training
• A support system allows doctors to consult mentors and specialists
• Patients can access free psychological care through family doctors, psychologists, and psychiatrists, funded by a dedicated grant

Using Digital Tools to Improve Care

A key digital tool was  introduced: 

Web based Screening Advisor Program CheckMe – A digital health advisor that helps doctors to plan screening  of hidden diseases and gives personalized health recommendations, particularly useful for IDPs.

 

Supported by the SHOW4Health Grant

Thanks to the SHOW4Health grant, the project funds a team of seven healthcare professionals, including:

• Family medicine experts Team 
• A cardiologist
• An endocrinologist
• Psychiatrist
• A team of psychologists
• Family nurses
• A mobile team providing care for elderly patients in nursing homes

 

Community Partnership and Ongoing Evaluation

The project collaborates with local NGOs, camp leaders, and community partners to ensure services are accessible and well-coordinated.

To track impact, the team:

• Measures how many people are screened before and after training
• Gathers feedback from healthcare staff
• Monitors how well new skills are applied in practice
• Reviews progress and identifies areas for improvement

By combining training, digital innovation, expert support, and strong partnerships, “InterFamily”  is working to improve healthcare for displaced people, make it more effective and sustainable, and ensure long-term impact.

The Project has been introduced at the international level during the 100th EGPRN Conference of family physicians in Gothenburg (Sweden).

Web based Screening Advisor Program CheckMe – A digital health advisor that helps doctors to plan screening  of hidden diseases and gives personalized health recommendations.