Patient Universe

Who is behind Patient Universe

Patient Universe is developed and operated by Esperity, a Brussels-based health technology company that has worked on the patient side of healthcare since 2012.

The name says what drives us. Espero is Latin for "I hope", and for more than a decade our work has centred on one idea: patients who are well informed and well connected make better decisions about their own health.

Experience you can build on

Clinical trial findability

Esperity built the clinical trial portal of the Brussels University Hospital (H.U.B), which links Erasme Hospital, the Jules Bordet Institute and the Queen Fabiola Children's University Hospital. It was developed over two years and launched on International Clinical Trials Day 2023. Its goal is to give patients up-to-date trial information in plain, local language, because most trial information is only available in English and is hard to understand. Esperity also runs trial portals with the Belgian Society of Medical Oncology and Women Cancer Europe.

Patient education

Esperity has created education programmes for patients and caregivers, for example for families facing a diagnosis after newborn screening.

Recognised innovation

Esperity's work has been recognised with the Agoria eHealth Award and by the Microsoft Innovation Center.

What we stand for

Your community stays yours

We provide the platform. You own your members, content and voice.

Privacy first

Members often share sensitive health experiences. Patient Universe is built to comply with GDPR and hosted in the EU. Members can take part anonymously.

Accessible to everyone

The platform is designed for people with visual, cognitive or motor impairments and is available in multiple languages.

Built together

Patient Universe grows through co-creation with the organisations that use it.

Research and publications

Esperity team members have co-authored the following peer-reviewed articles with universities, clinicians and patient organisations.

Peer-reviewed articles, newest first

  1. Cecconi C, Adams R, Cardone A, Declaye J, Silva M, Vanlerberghe T, Guldemond N, Devisch I, van Vugt J. Generational differences in healthcare: the role of technology in the path forward. Front Public Health. 2025;13:1546317. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1546317. View article
  2. Fassbender A, Donde S, Silva M, Friganovic A, Stievano A, Costa E, Winders T, van Vugt J. Adoption of digital therapeutics in Europe. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2024;20:939-954. doi: 10.2147/TCRM.S489873. View article
  3. Richardson-Parry A, Silva M, Valderas JM, Donde S, Woodruff S, van Vugt J. Video interventions for reducing health inequity in cancer screening programmes: a systematic review. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024;11(5):2898-2924. doi: 10.1007/s40615-023-01749-5. View article
  4. Richardson-Parry A, Silva M, Valderas JM, Donde S, Woodruff S, van Vugt J. Interactive or tailored digital interventions to increase uptake in cervical, breast, and colorectal cancer screening to reduce health inequity: a systematic review. Eur J Cancer Prev. 2023;32(4):396-409. doi: 10.1097/CEJ.0000000000000796. View article
  5. Richardson-Parry A, Baas C, Donde S, Ferraiolo B, Karmo M, Maravic Z, Münter L, Ricci-Cabello I, Silva M, Tinianov S, Valderas JM, Woodruff S, van Vugt J. Interventions to reduce cancer screening inequities: the perspective and role of patients, advocacy groups, and empowerment organizations. Int J Equity Health. 2023;22(1):19. doi: 10.1186/s12939-023-01841-6. View article
  6. Monaco A, Casteig Blanco A, Cobain M, Costa E, Guldemond N, Hancock C, Onder G, Pecorelli S, Silva M, Tournoy J, Trevisan C, Votta M, Yfantopoulos J, Yghemonos S, Clay V, Mondello Malvestiti F, De Schaetzen K, Sykara G, Donde S. The role of collaborative, multistakeholder partnerships in reshaping the health management of patients with noncommunicable diseases during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2021;33(10):2899-2907. doi: 10.1007/s40520-021-01922-y. View article
  7. Monaco A, Palmer K, Holm Ravn Faber N, Kohler I, Silva M, Vatland A, van Griensven J, Votta M, Walsh D, Clay V, Yazicioglu MC, Ducinskiene D, Donde S. Digital health tools for managing noncommunicable diseases during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: perspectives of patients and caregivers. J Med Internet Res. 2021;23(1):e25652. doi: 10.2196/25652. View article
  8. Silva M, Roufosse F. Oral corticosteroid use for the treatment of chronic eosinophilic disease: a patient's and his physician's experience. Adv Ther. 2019;36(10):2558-2566. doi: 10.1007/s12325-019-01070-w. View article

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