Sweden has a long and proud tradition of medical technology innovations that can change both people’s lives as well as our health care system.
– Today there are approximately 900,000 different medical devices and solutions in Europe, many of which originate in Sweden. The pacemaker, ultrasound and the neonatal incubator are a few examples, says Anna Lefevre Skjöldebrand, CEO at Swedish Medtech.
– Nowadays medical technology development is moving even faster but Sweden remains at the forefront.
Major challenges in medical technology
Medical technology has always been a prerequisite for healthcare and its importance will only increase in the future. Already today, the Swedish society faces major challenges caused by a growing and aging population. To meet the growing need for care without compromising with quality, both governments and health care institutions need to find new ways of living up to higher demands.
– Because of new medical technology innovations, healthcare becomes more successful in its diagnostic decision-making as well as providing treatment and sickness relief, says Anna Lefevre Skjöldebrand and continues:
– Take AI, for example, which can be used as a decision support tool for doctors when analyzing X-ray results. With AI it is possible to process large amounts of data in no time. This resulting in a more accurate decision-making basis for healthcare professionals.
Patient oriented healthcare
Together with digital communication solutions, AI also enables patients to become more self-governing during their treatment plan. A fact that is realized for many patients already today. Not only does it improve everyday life for caretakers and their relatives, but also the working conditions for healthcare professionals.
– The challenge now is to create an equal healthcare that gives access to the latest technology, regardless of where you live. Sweden, with its innovative climate and a long history of technological innovations, has just the right settings. But we need true leadership to reorganize our institutions. This to better utilize the opportunities offered by new technology, says Anna Lefevre Skjöldebrand and concludes:
– If we manage to implement a new, more innovative, way of providing healthcare in Sweden, great benefits will not only appear for the patients. The whole society will benefit, as we will get a more accurate and productive healthcare.