GHP September 2015

ghp September 2015 | 19 innovation and technology Digital public services Back in 2012 we started working in the Sustains Project (Support USers To Access INformation and Services) a collaboration between Norrbotten, Uppsala County Council and seven other European regions in order to develop new digital healthcare services. For example provide our citizens with online access to health records and support online interactions between patients and healthcare professionals, thereby empow- ering patients to take an active role in their own health and care. Some of the key learnings from this project can today be found in a similar nationally services Nor- rbotten works with today called Vårdguiden (healthcare guide) Through this multi-channel platform you can call in to get health advice, read quality assured healthcare information or access a rapidly developing range of dig- ital services all available for free 24/7. The implemen- tation of 1177 is creating dual benefits, on one side it is giving people an opportunity for greater control over their own health, with greater access to information they can acquire deeper insight of their own health and make more informed decisions and also take an active and participatory approach to their own health. It also provides concrete support for healthcare professionals, who can direct patients to the right information and it reduces administration which, in the end creates more time for personal interactions with patients. The future healthcare Our aim is to ensure that we provide the right services at the right time delivered in the right way based on the individual needs of all people in Norrbotten. Through a conceptualization of our implementation of tech based solutions we have been able to transfer any good practice from one part of the organization to another and to step by step inch by inch turn around the organization to wide adoption of distance spanning technology and not only for internal communication and information exchange, but also for patient inter- action and integration of our systems with co-actors in healthcare delivery says Stefan Carlsson, IT-strategic Officer. He also envisions the endless possibilities that useful, usable and well-designed digital public services can bring in the near future and thinks it is one of the most important success factors for eHealth going forward. Living in a digitalized society has become the new normal says Susanne Anderson Development Manager for digital services at Norrbotten County Council. Almost daily, she talks to the people of Norrbotten and she notices an increasing demand for digital healthcare services that can enable citizens to better manage their health, they want better insight and control over their own health status. While the healthcare sector in Sweden has long been slow to adapt to the digital society, it is now rapidly moving forward, creating the future of healthcare Our daily operations in hospitals and healthcare centers is already using state-of-the-art technology but one of our biggest challenges is to truly open up the healthcare system so that I as a citizens can become an equal partner in the planning and delivery of care. The way we carry out healthcare today has proven somewhat successful in terms of each of us living longer, richer and healthier lives. However with limited future resources and an aging population we can only assure fulfilling all needs, if we provide citizens with the power, knowledge and confidence so that they can partner with us and lead an active role in their health and care. Innovative use of modern technology to achieve this that is what ehealth is all about says Agneta Granström vice Chair of the County Council Executive Committee Written By Lisa Lundgren Project director, Department of Research and innovation, Norrbotten County Council Gustav Söderlund eHealth Strategic Officer, Department of Research and innovation, Norrbotten County Council