Digital patchwork

"The development of the health service based on ICT is too important to be left to regional and local players," says the head of the Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine, Steinar Pedersen.  

The aim was to use information and communications technology (ICT) for coordination and improving the efficiency of the public health service to provide continuity of patient care.  

"Now it appears that ICT is being introduced in various parts of the public health service more as a tool to protect each entity's own activities," asserts Pedersen. 

Chaos and lack of coordination

To illustrate this, he points out that five regional health authorities have bought electronic patient records from three different suppliers – with no requirements specified for secure transmission of patient information between the hospitals.  

The image of chaos and lack of coordination is compounded by the fact that the municipalities have purchased computing solutions from another six completely different suppliers.

"The clearest expression of this is that important patient information cannot be sent between two different hospitals in the same city, even in acute situations," continues Pedersen.

 Must think afresh

In recent years, telemedicine has produced many results proving that innovative thinking reduces the strain on patients and the costs to society.

For example, patients with kidney diseases no longer have to travel four to five times a week from Alta to Hammerfest for dialysis treatment. Doctors at the University Hospital of North Norway in Tromsø provide guidance over the Internet so that patients can receive dialysis treatments locally at Alta Helsesenter (health centre).

In addition, women in rural Norway can now go to their local midwife for pregnancy check-ups, with specialist support via the Internet where necessary.

"This is rational, and takes the health service to the places where people live," says Pedersen.

Offer them incentives

Every year, the specialist and municipal health services receive NOK 176 billion. The head of the NST now proposes that of this amount, politicians allocate 0.5 per cent – or NOK 880 million – to standardized ICT solutions and systems which are centrally controlled by national authorities.

"We must reward those who introduce new technology to treat patients at a distance - based on open, technological solutions that communicate with other systems."

Contact person

Steinar Pedersen, Department Head, mobile telephone +47 970 97 406