A Healthcare Roadshow to Scandinavia filled with high-level meetings, workshops and hospital visits. According to the Dutch delegation, this exploratory mission provided great insights into the healthcare systems of the Nordic region.
Tapping into the Scandinavian healthcare market can seem quite challenging. Therefore, Task Force Health Care (TFHC) organised the very first Healthcare Roadshow to help understand the nuanced differences between the Nordic countries. This mission was prepared in close collaboration with the Netherlands Embassies in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, and the Regional Economic Envoy for the Nordic and Baltic countries on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as a follow-up of the market studies launched in 2017.
The Dutch delegation, formed by 17 companies, were hence eager to gain more knowledge on the latest developments and opportunities within the eHealth, Medical Devices, Research & Education, Hospital Design sector in Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
Firstly, the delegation started in Stockholm participating in workshops concerning the Swedish health care system, political priorities and developments in healthcare, and innovation at, for example, Karolinska University Hospital. The delegation learned that 21 Swedish county councils are responsible for the delivery of health care, and thus, their own hospital plans. Visits were made to Sophiahemmet, a private hospital, and Stockholm South General Hospital. The hospital is undergoing its biggest change since 1940 and will be supplemented with single patient rooms and a completely new operation department.
Subsequently, the delegation headed to Oslo, where they were welcomed by the Dutch Ambassador. Unlike Sweden, Norway has centralized hospital construction and procurement agencies. The South-Eastern Regional Health Authority, that covers 55% of the population, explained the Norwegian health care system as well as some challenges, such as the need for delivery system innovation and digitalization and more coordination between primary and specialist health care. The delegation participated in expert roundtable sessions to discuss relevant topics and visited the new state-of-the-art operating rooms of The Intervention Centre at Rikshospitalet and Ullevål Sykehus, both part of Oslo University Hospital.
Lastly, the delegation arrived in Copenhagen where they were informed about the Strategy for Digitalization presented by the Ministry of Health and the One Entry service that is offered in each of the 5 Danish regions. After a visit to the Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, a seminar to Solutions to Danish-Dutch Future Health Challenges was held with interesting presentations by Danish Regions, Healthcare Denmark and Welfare Tech. Filled with inspiration the delegation went to their final visit to learn about the soon to be build new organic New North Zealand Hospital. The relatively high population density of Denmark has contributed to the national hospital plan that aims to relocate, merge, and specialize 16 hospitals in the coming ten years.
Within a very short time, new connections were made and lots of knowledge was shared. Needless to say, it was an inspiring and successful Healthcare Roadshow to Scandinavia!
If you would like to discover more about the health care markets in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, please review the studies. A Scandinavian delegation will also be invited to attend the World of Health Care on the 27th of September 2018.
