January 14, 2025

Midwifery clinic in Västra Götalandsregionen in Sweden: ‘Our digital service simplifies for both patients and staff’

In order to create more equal and flexible care for the entire region and get the maximum benefit from available resources, the Västra Götalandsregionen midwifery clinic decided to further develop its digital services.

January 14, 2025

In collaboration with Platform24, the region has developed its own application, Vård och Hälsa, which includes the Barnmorskemottagningen Online service. The ability to easily and conveniently offer digital midwife appointments has simplified daily life for both healthcare staff and patients.

The goal of the new system was to expand and streamline digital operations while contributing to more consistent healthcare across the region.

We spoke to Therese Andersson, Coordinating Midwife, and Linnéa Swanson, Area Manager, to hear more about their experiences with Vård och Hälsa and the journey.

A clear goal for equal care and increased flexibility

The unit’s goal with the new system was to build a digital practice that could support patients wherever they are in the region. Linnéa Swanson explains:

‘We wanted to create flexibility and enable collaboration between our practices. At the same time, we wanted to make the best use of our available midwives and ensure equal care for all.’

This goal was also in line with Västra Götalandsregionen’s guidelines to offer digital care when possible and physical visits when needed. And they has set ambitious targets. ‘We aim for 80% of our admissions of pregnant women to be digital, and that also includes contraceptive patients and digital counselling,’ says Therese Andersson.

Result: Almost 80% of admissions are digital – faster contact and reduced vulnerability

The implementation of Vård och Hälsa has already proved successful. The goal of 80 per cent of admissions being done digitally has now almost been achieved. Therese Andersson emphasises how this has affected accessibility:

‘Now everyone can get a quick first contact with a midwife, no matter where they live. This is a much-needed service that we are now happy to be able to deliver.’

The initiative has also strengthened the organisation’s resilience. ‘We have become less vulnerable, which is particularly important for our smaller units,’ adds Linnéa Swanson. Consistency in their approach and ways of working has also created a stronger sense of ‘we’ within the organisation.