Strategic partnership strenghtens the collaboration between Oslo University Hospital and Sahlgrenska University Hospital

The collaboration will initially focus on five areas:

• Laboratory medicine
• Psychiatry in transformation
• New care models, including “OUS Hjemme” and “Sahlgrenska Hemma”
• Leadership and productivity
• Digitalisation and AI

– To reform healthcare, university hospitals need to collaborate both nationally and internationally. Oslo University Hospital is a leading medical center for specialized healthcare, research, and innovation. Norway faces similar challenges as Sweden, and I look forward to deepening our efforts to create better healthcare in Europe, says Boubou Hallberg, CEO of Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

– We are equally satisfied to annonce the strategic partnership with Sahlgrenska University Hospital within these five important focus areas. The future calls on more – not less – national and international collaboration, says Bjørn Atle Lein Bjørnbeth, CEO of Oslo University Hospital.

Collaboration areas

Laboratory medicineWithin this area the two hospitals aim to establish collaborative efforts in key areas of laboratory services to advanced diagnostics, research, innovation, and quality of care.

Psychiatry in transformationThis area includes collaborative efforts with focus on: organizational aspects, such as psychiatry versus somatic care, task distribution between departments, productivity and operational data and new hospital buildings and ICT (information and communication technology).

New care modelsOslo University Hospital and Sahlgrenska University Hospital are of similar size and have comparable missions with hospital-wide strategies on specialist home care. Both hospitals are actively working to develop and scale up this care model and anticipate significant mutual learning through the collaboration.

Leadership and productivityThe two hospitals aim to establish collaborative efforts with focus on what is required, and how to develop the leadership that will take the university hospitals closer to becoming leading in the 2030s. Another focus area will be to facilitate the transition of healthcare between different healthcare models and the corresponding allocation of resources.

Digitalisation and AIWithin this area the hospitals aim to establish collaborative efforts with focus on digital workplace, development of testbeds for digital innovation, organization for transitioning from a prototype of a technical solution to large scale implementation and joint research and innovation projects within:

• Applied AI
• Remote monitoring
• Internet of Things, IoT, and citizen-initiated health data
• Digital twins and synthetic health data

– This and other collaborations are a significant step towards creating better healthcare for patients in Sweden and Norway. We learn so much by taking part in others solutions, seeing how they work, but also by sharing our own knowledge, concludes Boubou Hallberg.

– Sahlgrenska University Hospital has achieved significant international recognition for its work in both patient care and research, much similar to OUS, so this partnership is a good match. Together we will lead the way in fields like Hospital at Home and psychiatry, says Bjørn Atle Lein Bjørnbeth.

Oslo University Hospital is Norway’s largest hospital and a leading medical center for specialized healthcare, research, and innovation. It collaborates closely with academia, industry, and patients to drive advancements in medicine and treatment. As part of the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority, the hospital plays a key role in providing high-quality healthcare services across the region and nationwide. With a strong focus on innovation, digitalization, and new care models, Oslo University Hospital aims to be a leading university hospital in Europe.

Sahlgrenska University Hospital is Sweden’s largest hospital and improve healthcare through the application of strong innovation and clinical research in close and broad cooperation with academia, industry and patients. Being part of Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital is also an entry point to other hospitals in the region. With the aspiration of Sahlgrenska University Hospital to be a leading university hospital in Europe by 2032, there’s an interest to explore and identify shared interests contributing to the visions for both parties.