Testing Tomorrow’s Healthcare Today
What healthcare needs will we have in ten years – and how can we make the best use of resources? With research from the University of Skövde, the Region Västra Götaland (VGR) can evaluate different solutions in advance and make better decisions when designing future healthcare.
Through a new long-term agreement between the University of Skövde and VGR, collaboration is being deepened on how strategic choices in healthcare can be evaluated with the help of simulation.
“The agreement represents an important opportunity for the University of Skövde and VGR to deepen the successful collaboration we have had for several years. It also means that our expertise in simulation will be directly linked to issues of societal relevance,” says Ainhoa Goienetxea, Project Manager and Senior Lecturer in Production Engineering at the University of Skövde.
Simulation provides better decision-making support
Researchers at the University will contribute research, methodological development and competence development on how simulation can be used to support strategic decision-making.
“Together we will build stronger internal competence within VGR so that they can independently use advanced methods to evaluate possible future scenarios. In this way, they will be able to make decisions with a greater understanding of the consequences of future strategic choices,” says Ainhoa Goienetxea.
At VGR, it is recognised that collaboration with the University of Skövde creates the opportunity to produce more thoroughly prepared decision-making material for strategic and long-term decisions about healthcare.
“By building up our own competence in simulation, we can strengthen our ability to plan in a long-term and sustainable way,” says Karin Looström Muth, Director of Healthcare Development, Region Västra Götaland.
Ainhoa Goienetxea is Project Manager for the project “Future Healthcare System in the Västra Götaland Region.”
Increasing healthcare needs require new solutions
The background to the collaboration is the major challenges healthcare is facing: an ageing population with increasing healthcare needs, while staff and financial resources are limited.
“With the help of these kinds of methods, complex interconnections can be identified so that decision-makers receive better decision-making material. This can lead to more accurate decisions on priorities and more efficient use of resources. Ultimately, it is about more residents gaining better access to healthcare, both now and in the future,” says Ainhoa Goienetxea.
The University also regards the collaboration as an important example of how academia and the public sector can work together.
“We hope that this can demonstrate how research and practical operations can meet in order to solve complex societal challenges,” says Ainhoa Goienetxea.
Ainhoa Goienetxea, Senior Lecturer in Production Engineering, Joeri van Laere, Professor of Informatics, and Gary Linnéusson, Senior Lecturer in Production Engineering, are participating in the project.
