How chat is transforming healthcare
How chat creates safety, accessibility, and job satisfaction in Region Gävleborg
Region Gävleborg includes both cities and rural areas, with long distances to care and varying socioeconomic conditions. By relying less on phone contact while still allowing care providers to communicate on the patient’s terms, care becomes more equally accessible and waiting times shorten. Care-initiated chats via Min vård Gävleborg have become a shared solution across several care units. The result is a form of care where technology strengthens the human presence rather than replacing it.
A lifeline from the first contact
Staff describe how the digital way of working has changed daily life for the most vulnerable patient groups. At the oncology department in Gävle, nurse Mikael sees the chat as an important “toolbox” that gives patients with testicular and prostate cancer a direct link to care. He now manages nearly 400 active chats and sees how it creates important flexibility in contact with patients.
One significant improvement is that patients with testicular cancer immediately get access to the chat upon diagnosis. This reduces the anxiety of waiting for the first appointment and instead creates a feeling of being cared for from day one. By being able to share photos of, for example, rashes (a potential medication side effect), Mikael can also make medical assessments remotely, saving the patient long and unnecessary trips.
“Digital contact isn’t just about technology, it’s about safety, continuity, and being close to patients even at a distance. When we can follow up on tests, renew prescriptions, and catch questions early, it creates both flexibility and accessibility for patients. Continuing to develop our digital operations is simply the right thing to do at this time, and a natural part of modern, close-to-patient care”
When the phone stopped ringing
Perhaps the most striking success is found in maternity care. By offering all pregnant patients an open chat channel with a midwife, they have achieved what many dream of: the phone has essentially stopped ringing for administrative matters. Patient satisfaction is so high that patients actively request access to a chat channel. Compared to the national average, where 65–75 percent report that contact with maternity care is smooth, 95 percent of patients surveyed in Region Gävleborg find the contact easy.
Min vård Gävleborg feels completely in step with the times. We live in a digital world, which makes the chat feel modern and something that gives patients a sense of security. For us as healthcare staff, the chat is very high quality. We can send information and videos to patients, as well as cancel and reschedule appointments on short notice. Sometimes it’s hard to reach each other by phone, and that’s when the chat is very effective. It’s a win-win for both patient and healthcare staff,” say Karin Cardesjö and Carolina Jonasson, midwives in maternity care.
The same trend can be seen with Mikael at the oncology clinic at Gävle Hospital, which has seen a reduction in phone calls of around 50 percent since the chats were introduced. This way of working provides more reassuring follow-up than the previous routine of 24-hour callbacks, as communication now happens in a calmer and more structured flow.
Administrative power and inclusion for all
Within the medical units in Gävle and Sandviken, the chats have been shown to drive efficiency at scale. During 2025, 70 medical secretaries handled around 14,000 chats, allowing them to replace many costly and time-consuming letter mailings with digital communication. By summer 2026, they had already carried out nearly 8,000 chats.
Through the chat, care providers can send appointment notices, instructional videos, and test results directly to the patient – information that remains available and can be read again when needed. The digital way of working reduces reliance on traditional mail and means patients in many cases avoid waiting and can receive feedback more quickly.
“By replacing traditional mail with digital power, we make healthcare faster, safer, and more accessible for everyone – no matter where the patient is.”
The digital way of working includes everyone who wants it, while other forms of contact work better for some. For young people in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (BUP), chat is often the most natural way to seek help, but for patients who cannot or do not want to be digital, traditional care always remains available as a safe alternative.
“Chat is a tool that makes things easier both for me and for the patients. It gives us the ability to stay in touch between therapy sessions if questions come up or extra support is needed. Patients find it a simple and quick way to communicate, since they almost always have their phones with them”, says Carolina Golabiewski, counselor at Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (BUP).
The key to success: local strength and job satisfaction
Region Gävleborg has used chat to create a seamless patient journey and a better working environment for staff. By scheduling “digital slots” for responding to chats, healthcare staff avoid being interrupted by phone calls, which reduces stress and increases focus on the patient.
Region Gävleborg shows how digital transformation is about more than just technology – it’s about giving healthcare staff the right tools to offer patients the security, presence, and continuity they deserve.
