Enhancing healthcare through cross-border collaboration

In 2021, Region Kronoberg, Ljungby Municipality, Halmstad University, and the company Hallandia V started a collaboration through the "Good and Close Care" project. Supported by the Kamprad Foundation, the project focused on collecting and analysing healthcare data from both the region and the municipality. Halmstad University and Hallandia V contributed their expertise in data analysis and interpretation.

With the project, the collaborating partners aimed to gain comprehensive insights into patient care trajectories, thereby bridging organisational gaps and ensuring holistic care delivery.

“One of the notable aspects of the research project is its unique approach to jointly analysing the complete care chain from both regional and municipal perspectives, shedding light on patient demographics, care utilisation patterns and associated costs”, says Farzaneh Etminani, Docent in Machine Learning.

Cost variations among high, low and medium care-consumers

In the initial phase, the focus was on people over the age of 65 and residing in Ljungby municipality between 2017 and 2021. This revealed distinct patient groups with varying levels of care consumption. One of the key findings was the identification of three different patient groups based on their use of care services, with significant differences in average consumption levels.

“High-consumption individuals, making up 20 per cent of the group, accounted for a disproportionate share of total healthcare costs, highlighting the potential for cost savings through proactive intervention strategies. Furthermore, the analysis challenged conventional assumptions regarding care consumption trends, revealing that specific incidents rather than gradual increases triggered entry into the high-consumption group”, says Thomas Davidsson, CEO at Hallandia V.

The research provides valuable insights for resource allocation and care planning by identifying associated diagnoses and opportunities for preventive intervention.

“Importantly, the collaboration between Region Kronoberg, Ljungby Municipality, Halmstad University, and Hallandia V underscores the significance of interdisciplinary partnerships in addressing complex healthcare challenges”, says Magnus Frithiof, Acting Head of Operations at Region Kronoberg.

Transforming healthcare

The integration of data and research methodologies facilitated by this collaboration has paved the way for future efforts to optimise healthcare delivery and enhance patient outcomes.

“The project is set to expand its scope to include additional regions and municipalities, offering an unprecedented opportunity to conduct comprehensive analyses of the entire healthcare continuum”, says Farzaneh Etminani.

The collaborative efforts outlined in the “Good and Close Care” project exemplify the potential of data-driven approaches and interdisciplinary partnerships in transforming healthcare delivery and advancing the goal of good and close care in Sweden and beyond.

“By fostering a deeper understanding of person-centred care dynamics and promoting cross-sector collaboration, this initiative aims to drive meaningful improvements in healthcare quality and efficiency nationally”, says Farzaneh Etminani.

Text: Anna-Frida Agardson

Picture: iStock