15 experts representing multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment centres at 13 Slovak hospitals have signed a memorandum to launch the Slovak Multicentric MS Database – Pilot Project.
The initiative was proposed by Associate Professor Darina Slezáková, PhD, of the Second Department of Neurology at the Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University and University Hospital Bratislava. She presented the proposal to colleagues at other MS centres and consulted them throughout its development. These discussions led to an agreement to launch a joint multicentre pilot.
The project aims to assess how clinical data, patient-reported outcomes and an interactive patient tool can be integrated into everyday clinical practice.
Slezáková discussed the proposal with colleagues in Bratislava, Prešov, Košice, Trnava, Banská Bystrica and Martin. Centres in Komárno, Nitra, Nové Zámky, Ružomberok, Trenčín and Levoča subsequently joined the initiative. What began as an individual proposal has developed into a collaborative pilot shaped by clinicians with direct experience in treating people with multiple sclerosis.
The pilot will assess the practical value of digital tools for patient management. Its main objectives are to evaluate a standardised dataset, data quality, technical feasibility, and the time and staffing required to collect information in routine clinical practice.
One of the targets is to reduce the administrative time spent by doctors and nurses by more than 20%. The pilot will assess whether this target can be achieved. It will also test standardised data collection and an interactive care protocol that allows treatment to be personalised according to the treating physician’s clinical judgement while maintaining data integrity.
“The aim was to introduce a practical system that would allow us to collect patient data consistently over the long term and in a format that could be used directly in clinical practice. I gradually discussed the proposal with colleagues at other MS centres and found that they shared similar needs. That is why we decided to test the model together in a multicentre pilot. The continuous exchange of experience and active patient involvement are also important to us,” said Associate Professor Darina Slezáková, PhD, of University Hospital Bratislava.
Multiple sclerosis primarily affects young adults of working age. At the end of 2021, more than 16,000 patients were registered at neurological clinics in Slovakia, with 2,161 new diagnoses recorded that year.
Consistent, regularly updated data could help clinicians gain a clearer picture of the disease and identify opportunities to improve patient care.
International registries use different approaches to data collection. The UK registry collects patient questionnaires every six months and a minimum clinical dataset annually. MSBase follows patients at least once a year.
The Slovak pilot draws on experience from established international databases and registries while assessing how their approaches can be adapted to Slovak clinical practice.
Patients will be able to participate remotely in the care protocol, with questionnaires linked to their current clinical status and stage of treatment. The pilot will also assess whether questionnaire responses can be automatically integrated into electronic medical records, depending on the technical capabilities of participating hospitals.
The aim is to give neurologists a more up-to-date picture of each patient’s condition at follow-up appointments.
“A shared database will allow us to understand our patients better, compare real-world clinical practice across centres and use Slovak data to improve their care,” said Dr Viera Hančinová of the MS Centre Ružinov at University Hospital Bratislava.
“Doctors ultimately decide whether innovations are put into practice. It is our responsibility to make room for them in clinical settings and assess their benefits for patients. That is why we joined this project: we want to develop this new approach together in real-world practice, in line with our professional standards,” said Dr Anna Cvengrošová of J. A. Reiman University Hospital in Prešov.
The participating centres are jointly developing a standardised data collection framework and a harmonised minimum dataset for follow-up, which will be validated during the pilot.
The dataset will include diagnosis and disease history, clinical status including the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), relapses, MRI findings, disease-modifying therapies, safety data, comorbidities and patient-reported outcomes.
The pilot will also test AI-assisted tools under medical supervision. These tools could help process patients’ written records and, with their consent, generate draft clinical notes from recorded consultations using a template tailored to the department. Doctors will review the drafts before they are used.
Patients will be able to complete structured information before appointments, allowing doctors to review it in advance. Depending on the needs of each centre and the physician’s clinical judgement, some follow-up appointments may also be conducted remotely.
The pilot will assess whether these tools can reduce administrative workloads and allow clinicians to spend more time with patients.
“The shared database will provide us with real-world data from Slovakia, which could also serve as an important basis for discussions with health insurance companies. This evidence could help support adjustments to treatment eligibility restrictions, enabling patients to access highly effective therapies in a timely manner and in line with current clinical recommendations,” said Dr Slavomíra Kováčová, PhD, of the MS Centre at Nitra Faculty Hospital.
Participants will receive free access to an interactive Multiple Sclerosis Patient Guide. It includes information about the disease and its treatment, practical recommendations and questionnaires linked to the care protocol.
Participation in the pilot is voluntary and requires informed consent.
