COVID-19: An Engine for Change? Building Resilient, Connected and Prepared Health Systems in the Nordics

Among the shifts taking place globally following the ripple effect of COVID-19, the need for healthcare digitization is surfacing as one of the most pressing. It is no longer a question, for instance, to know if we should widely promote the implementation of telehealth services. The discussion now focuses on the speed at which we can safely introduce new technologies to help connect care and provide critical information and clinical pathways to support our front-line workforces.

Discover how to best leverage the evaluation groundwork that enabled an accelerated onboarding of these digital solutions during the outbreak and how to ensure they remain part of mainstream care after COVID-19. Explore the strategies ahead in individual Nordic countries in response to rapidly evolving healthcare needs.

Learning Points:

How do we harness this momentum of change and adjust policies to extend the use of evidence-based digital solutions to mainstream care?
How do we address the challenges of rapidly redesigning workflows while making sure we continue to scale the implementation of fast-tracked digital solutions?
What are the lessons learned in technology and governance on the need for interoperable solutions
What is the right balance between protecting citizens’ privacy and responding to public health critical priorities in times of crises?

Dr. Christer Mjåset

Deputy CEO
Helseplattformen, Norway

Dr. Mjaset is also Researcher at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA

Dr. Leena Soininen

Chief Medical Officer
SoteDigi Oy, Finland

Dr. Max Herulf

Senior Advisor
Swedish e-Health Agency, Sweden

Dr. Runolfur Palsson

Director, Internal Medicine and Rehabilitation Services
Landspitali The National University Hospital of Iceland

Dr. Paisson is also Professor of Medicine, University of Iceland

Mette Lindstrøm Lage

Assistant Director
Centre for Healthcare Innovation, Danish Regions, Denmark

Priit Tohver, MD

Advisor for E-Services Innovation
Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs

Bio info: Dr Priit Tohver, MD, is the Advisor for E-Services Innovation at the Ministry of Social Affairs in Estonia,...

Dr Priit Tohver, MD, is the Advisor for E-Services Innovation at the Ministry of Social Affairs in Estonia, overseeing the digital transformation and innovation of health and welfare systems in Estonia. He is part of the core group leading the effort to reform the secondary use of health and social data within Estonia. Priit is also the official representative of Estonia in the eHealth Network and the Global Digital Health Partnership, and thus works closely on cross-border interoperability issues both for the primary and secondary use of health data. Priit is a doctor by training and has previously served as an advisor to the Estonian Mission in Geneva on diplomatic matters related to health, development and trade, covering organizations such as WHO, UNCTAD and WTO. He also has six years of experience as a civil society and global health activist, having also served as the Regional Director for Europe at the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA). He is a member of the World Health Organization Roster of Experts on Digital Health and director of the board at the Digital Health Society.