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How can the Nordic approach prepare European health systems for an equitable digital future for all?

3 October 2024 15:00 – 16:30 CET

WHO/Europe and the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies will co-host a webinar on 3 October to discuss the challenges and opportunities of developing health care in the digital era in Europe, guided by Nordic values. The event will highlight key insights from the 2024 report, “Nordic Health 2030: From What to How”, which outlines strategies for building equitable, inclusive, and sustainable health systems.

A Nordic vision for health care

Nordic Health 2030 is a collaborative movement launched in 2019 by health stakeholders from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. It aims to deliver better health outcomes for everyone, regardless of background or circumstances, by shifting focus from reactive treatment to proactive prevention, personalization, and participation in health care.

Nordic countries are uniquely positioned to lead this transformation. As can be seen in WHO/Europe’s 2024 report, “Exploring the digital health landscape in the WHO European Region: digital health country profiles”, these countries are among the most advanced in the WHO European Region in terms of availability, uptake, and governance of data and digital health solutions. The Regional Digital Health Action Plan 2023–2030, adopted by all 53 WHO/Europe Member States, seeks to identify solutions that are patient-centred and can be scaled up at the country or regional level to help shape public health and health systems in the digital era.

The report “Nordic Health 2030:  From What to How”, published by the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies and supported by WHO/Europe, outlines strategic actions for an integrated, preventive, and data-driven health-care model. These include improving the mapping of health data, enhancing interoperability between data systems, and ensuring the ethical management of health data.

The webinar

The 90-minute event will convene 3 panels of international experts who will share their perspectives on scaling up the Nordic approach to health in the Region. Participants will learn about sustainable and equitable practices in the implementation of digital technologies and their potential to transform health care. The event aims to foster collaboration, encourage innovation, and promote the adoption of digital health solutions that support the well-being of all individuals, irrespective of their location or circumstances.

The panellists will include:

  • Niina Aagaard, Head of Communications, The Nordic Council of Ministers and The Nordic Council;
  • Diana Arsovic, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Danish Life Science Cluster;
  • Malin Eklund, Programme Manager, Vinnova;
  • Bogi Eliasen (moderator), Director of Health, Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies;
  • Jesper Grønbeck, Founder and CEO, Copenhagen Health Tech Hub;
  • Clayton Hamilton, Regional Technical Officer, Data, Evidence and Digital Health, WHO/Europe;
  • Troels Krarup Hansen, Managing Director, Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Denmark, and Head of the Danish Diabetes and Endocrine Academy;
  • Lars Lindskold, President of the European Federation of Medical Informatics, and Board Member for the Centre of Transdisciplinary AI, Umeå University, Sweden;
  • Lars Münter, Founder and International Director, Nordic Wellbeing Academy;
  • Marianne Pilgaard, CEO, TrialNation;
  • Nard Schreurs, CEO and Managing Director of EhiN (eHealth in Norway);
  • Eric Sutherland, Senior Health Economist, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
  • Malin Søderlund, Deputy CEO, ImagineCare, CEO of Hedi Intelligence, and Co-Chair of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Nordic Community. 
  • The event will be held in English and Russian. It is open to the public, including digital health developers, health and care workers, policy-makers, researchers, and representatives of advocacy groups. Please use the registration link if you are interested in taking part.