The aim of this program is to improve innovation procurement in the health sector through extended exchange of knowledge and cross-border cooperation.
The public sector is by far the largest buyer and consumer of health care products and services in the Nordic region. This creates a major opportunity for demanding new and innovative products and services from the private sector.
But public organisations are not conscious enough of the potential in using procurement and innovation on a strategic level. Cooperation and exchange of knowledge between public procurers is limited, and there is a need for improved dialogue between procurers and suppliers.
The aim of the Innovation in the Health Sector through Public Procurement and Regulation program was to make a change: To create better public health services through competence building and collaboration, and to develop the supplier industry through closer contact with the public buyers.
By contributing to the development of better public health services as well as the supplier industry through closer contact with public buyers, the goal was to make the Nordic region a global frontrunner in the field of innovation procurement in the health sector.
The program was one of the six lighthouse projects that the Nordic ministers of trade and industry defined in the Nordic Co-operation Programme for Innovation and Business Policy 2011-2013.
Program partners:
Finland:
Denmark:
Norway:
Sweden:
Iceland:
Funded projects:
In October 2012, Nordic Innovation launched a call for proposals called The Nordic Region as Frontrunner in Innovation Procurement together with Tekes (now Business Finland), Vinnova, the Danish Business Authority, Innovation Norway and Rannis.
NOK 10 million were granted among the following three projects:
Nordic Public-Private Innovation Net
The main goal is to create the foundation for future innovative procurement projects within the Nordic region. This will be done by establishing a platform with an overview of best practice experiences on how to complete innovative procurement, creation of a Nordic network, connecting procurers and suppliers for innovative procurement and by developing an overview of tools for carrying out innovative procurement in the health care sector.
Gathering best practice experiences and developing networks and guidelines will be key activities in the project. Finally, the project will do comprehensive dissemination activities, reaching all relevant actors.
Project partners:
Denmark: Region Syd-Danmark (project manager) Health Innovation Zealand, Welfare Tech.
Norway: Helse Sør-Øst RHF, Oslo Medtech, NHO (Confederation of Industries).
Finland: Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS), HYKSin Ltd.
Sweden: County of Värmland, Region Skåne.
Value based procurements in primary and social care (VABPRO)
The project focuses on primary care (GP-practice and health centre operations) and social care (elderly care services and services for the physically and mentally disabled).
It will develop a value based procurement model and contribute to a system shift from price-driven procurement to a value based and holistic approach where factors such as patient experience and prevention are integrated.
In a procurement-perspective, the municipalities procure health services or reimburse health costs. A change in the way these services are procured, can lead to win-win-win, where society (tax money), patients and suppliers all can bring their knowledge to the table (co-creation) and also benefit from the better results.
Project partners:
Finland: Nordic Healthcare Group (project manager), City of Jyväskylä, Forum Virium Helsinki, City of Espoo.
Sweden: City of Landskrona, Norrbottens Läns Landsting.
Denmark: Copenhagen Living Lab.
Integrated training program and demand dialog network for Innovative Nordic Health care Procurement (INHP)
The project will develop a training programme in innovative procurement within health in close cooperation with academics at universities in the Nordic region. It will also contain networks between procurers and dialogue between procurers and suppliers. Competence is key when it comes to innovation procurement, and the project is addressing this challenge.
Project partners:
Denmark: Copenhagen Living Lab (project manager), Aalborg Universitet, Aalborg kommune, Kolding kommune, Vejle kommune, Brainsbusiness/ICT North Denmark (part of Aalborg kommune), Nohr-Con
Sweden: The Swedish Environmental Management Council, Lund University, Halmstad University, Falkenberg Municipality
Norway: Helse Vest, LFH (Trade Association for Health- and Welfare Technology)
Finland: City of Vantaa, Laurea University of Applied Sciences
Iceland: University of Iceland