PROTECT at EHiN 2023

Collaboration between HWT companies and researchers: What can we do together?

Health and welfare technology (HWT) covers a wide sphere of different appliances and solutions, impacting diverse users’ lives, care work and its processes, as well as societies. This future-oriented workshop focuses on collaboration between researchers and HWT companies (developers and suppliers). HWT companies’ voices are heard and challenges and opportunities of HWT use discussed, with a view of creating a shared mission of HWT use.

The session departs from the results of recent Nordic research projects, notably the PROTECT project’s series of participatory workshops that involved nearly 200 Nordic researchers and stakeholders in 2021–2023. The main challenges and knowledge needs were identified at three levels: (1) older age clients/patients and people with disabilities and their informal caregivers (micro level); (2) professional caregivers and organizations (meso level); and (3) the societal (macro level). Recommendations were produced for decisionmakers (link: Proactive health and welfare technology for Nordic users and societies – A policy brief).

Understanding the dynamics between these three levels is essential to improve policy interventions and innovations to enhance HWT use, and HWT companies have an important role to play in contributing to and utilizing such understanding.

How have HWT companies utilized research knowledge in development and implementation of HWT? What benefits has this brought?
How can collaboration between researchers and HWT companies be increased? Are there some bottlenecks – if so, how can those be overcome?

We will also scan the futures regarding the collaboration with the help of a panel discussion and interactive activities.

Moderator: Christine Gustafsson, Sophiahemmet University

Main challenges and knowledge needs concerning HWT use: Results of the PROTECT project (including a broader European perspective)

v/Helinä Melkas, LUT University & Christine Gustafsson, Sophiahemmet University

Utilization of research knowledge in development and implementation of HWT: A company perspective

v/Anna Lahti, Atea Finland & Øyvind Rusten, Atea Norway

A panel discussion with HWT company representatives and researchers: