61 representatives from around the world are currently attending a seminar in San Francisco on health work. A total of 16 of them come from Helse Nord, writes Finnmarken.
Additionally, three participants from other places in Norway are registered. By comparison, Britain and Canada each send eight participants. Finland sends four and India one.
Delegates will learn how the California healthcare system works. The purpose of the trip is, among other things, to discover patient participation and different types of collaboration. The seminar lasts from April 22 to 25.
Even though a total of 19 Norwegians are in San Francisco, the number of beds at the Tana district psychiatric center is severely reduced. Mayor Frank Ingilæ (Ap) questions the priorities of Helse Nord.
– 16 participants look extremely cool. And what the hell are we supposed to learn from the American healthcare system? All is well there, said Ingilæ Finnish brands.
A lot of money
Helse Nord pays a total of almost NOK 500,000 for travel, accommodation and participation costs. Helse Nord CEO Lars H. Vorland defends the investment.
– Half a million is still a lot of money, but seen in the context of annual spending of 13.5 billion, it’s not that much, says Vorland, who is himself in San Francisco .
The seminar is hosted by Kaiser Permanente (KP) – a non-profit health system known for its good ICT and financing solutions. Vorland says Helse Nord will spend NOK 600 million on a new ICT system over four years. The system is based on the same thinking used by KP.
Little to learn
Helse Nord is also considering changing its revenue distribution model to healthcare facilities, as KP has done.
– The current system rewards activity in a way that does not always benefit the sickest. We think that what the KP has done is particularly relevant here in the North, Vorland tells Finnmarken.
KP measures quality down to the click level. Vorland hopes that Helse Nord can learn lessons from this organization. He lists several concrete elements that representatives from northern Norway need to address.
– One in four seminar participants comes from North Helsing. Why are you sending so many?
– Directors and managers of each enterprise must lead the development of both the individual enterprise and the region as a whole. We want the same ideas to be the basis, answers Vorland.
Vorland is accompanied, among others, by Hans Petter Fundingsrud, director of Helse Finnmark, and specialist doctor Harald Sunde.
In an open letter, Vorland describes how the United States lacks an equal and universal health care system, funded by taxpayer dollars.
– In this sense, there is little to learn from their system. At the same time, the United States is far ahead in areas such as organization and ICT, writes Vorland.
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