Best in the world at innovation, but how good are we at implementation?
Sweden is the world leader in innovation. But how well are innovations actually implemented in Swedish healthcare? This was the topic of a panel discussion organized by Sirona together with SwedenBIO on 19 October. The panel included representatives from hospitals and regions as well as patient representatives and the business community.
Implementation of innovative solutions is of critical importance for healthcare, otherwise new treatments and products will not reach patients. How does it work today, and what can be done better? These questions were the focus of Sirona's and SwedenBIO's event, where a number of key people from different perspectives participated. From Södersjukhuset, Danderyds Hospital, Region Uppsala, SwedenBIO, FOKUS Patient and Medical Innovation Design. The moderator for the panel discussion was Shadi Abbas, Managing Director at Sirona.
- Including the different perspectives was important as it highlights the unique challenges and opportunities that each actor faces," says Beata Wallman, Associate Manager at Sirona, who organized the event.
- The challenges appeared different depending on the perspective. In the health sector, the lack of resources and time were the main issues raised. Clinical trials were a hot topic, the number of clinical trials conducted needs to increase in Sweden to ensure that implementation of innovation is possible. From the business side, there was talk of different rules and regulations that make it difficult to reach out. Ultimately, Swedish patients get access to innovations later than other countries. Denmark, for example, is way ahead of us.
What opportunities were discussed?
- Early identification of needs was highlighted as a key success factor, involving patients as well as hospitals and regions at the beginning of the innovation process.
And what are the bottlenecks?
- The regulatory one. But also the lack of resources in healthcare, where there may be no clinical practitioner who has time dedicated to innovation. The regions also pointed out that it is not part of their responsibility to work with innovation. And where there is no division of responsibilities, there is no mandate either.
Was the event as fruitful as you hoped?
- Yes, especially the inclusion of different perspectives - it provided new insights, showing the importance of cooperation across sectors and borders. It was also a point in itself to create an environment where people relevant to the topic, from different perspectives, can meet and discuss.
How can you support stakeholders in the implementation process?
- We can support stakeholders, including analyzing needs and the potential market position of an innovation, from new treatments to new services and products. We can also design market strategies and identify who the key people are in enabling implementation.
