Learning from each other to meet tomorrow's healthcare challenges

Healthcare is changing quickly, and the challenges of tomorrow will be easier to meet if hospitals meet them together. That was the starting point when a delegation from St. Olavs hospital in Trondheim visited Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm in September.

The day was hosted by Karolinska, with a welcome from Christophe Pedroletti, CEO of Karolinska University Hospital, and presentations from directors and experts from both hospitals. The agenda covered strategy, production and capacity management, precision medicine and leadership, with afternoon sessions on patient quality, high-quality outcomes and Hospital@home.

A strength worth building on

A message that returned throughout the day was that Nordic collaboration is a strength, and one that needs continued attention. University hospitals in the Nordic countries share many of the same conditions and the same responsibilities: to deliver care of the highest quality, to conduct research and to educate the next generation. By sharing best practices, the hospitals can learn from one another and move faster than any of them could alone.

Precision medicine: a shift in how we view healthcare

One area drew particular interest. Anna Wedell, Director of Karolinska Precision Medicine Center, Professor of Medical Genetics, spoke about precision medicine at Karolinska and described it as a cultural change, a new way of looking at healthcare, and one that is inevitable. By tailoring diagnosis and treatment to the individual, precision medicine leads to better outcomes for patients.

Advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), such as cell and gene therapies, are a clear example of this shift. Knut Steffensen, Director of Karolinska ATMP Center, Associated Professor Affiliated to Department of Laboratory Medicine KI, presented the Karolinska ATMP Center, where treatments are tailored to help the individual patient achieve a better outcome.

Innovation is also about doing less of what does not help

Innovation in healthcare is not only about new technology. Birger Henning Endreseth, Director of Professional Affairs, and Sveinung Sørhaug, Department of Pulmonary and Occupational Medicine and Orkdal Medicine, from St. Olavs hospital, shared how their hospital works with Choosing Wisely, an international movement that encourages doctors and patients to talk about which tests and treatments are truly needed.

The movement was launched in 2012 by the ABIM Foundation in the United States, and more than 20 countries have since developed campaigns of their own. Norway joined in 2018, on the initiative of the Norwegian Medical Association. At St. Olavs, a network of ambassadors from the hospital's clinics, including a patient representative, works to make sure resources are used where they benefit patients most. Less unnecessary activity can also free up capacity, shorten waiting times and reduce environmental impact.

Leadership that creates agency

The visit also highlighted the people behind the care. Alberto Falk Delgado, Manager of Emergency & Reparative Medicine Theme and Anna Wiberg, Director of Nursing shared their perspectives on the importance of good leadership and the right competence in the workforce. Good leadership, they explained, creates an environment where staff feel a sense of agency and autonomy, and that feeling carries through every level of the organization.

The purpose of the visit was simple: to exchange ideas and practices, learn from each other, and find areas where the hospitals can help one another and innovate together.

As university hospitals, Karolinska and St. Olavs share a common goal: to advance healthcare today, so that it can meet the challenges of tomorrow.

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Text and photo: Fredric Möller Eklund.