Joint investigation into Health Platform by National Audit Office and municipal audit office in Trondheim
The National Audit Office and the municipal audit office in Trondheim have conducted a joint investigation of the Health Platform, with results to be announced at the Royal Garden Hotel in Trondheim on October 24.
The investigation covers several key areas, including:
– The current status of issues encountered
– An evaluation of the realism in budgeting for the acquisition, implementation, operation, and further development of the Health Platform
– Major explanations for the encountered problems
The National Audit Office aims to highlight how health entities—Helse Midt-Norge, Helseplattformen AS, St. Olavs Hospital, and Trondheim Municipality—have collaborated in planning and addressing the issues arising from the Health Platform’s implementation. It will also assess preparations for its rollout in Helse Møre og Romsdal.
The Health Platform is intended to be a unified patient journal system and collaboration solution for municipalities, hospitals, general practitioners, and private specialists in Mid-Norway. Its objectives include improving patient care quality, enhancing patient safety, creating user-friendly systems, and enabling healthcare professionals to perform their tasks more effectively. It also supports the government’s IT initiative “One Citizen – One Journal,” which ensures secure access to patient data for health personnel and provides residents with simple digital services.
Since its introduction in 2022, significant problems have emerged with the Health Platform, particularly in information flow, resulting in reduced patient safety and inefficient treatment processes.
William Lossius, a surgeon at St. Olavs Hospital, advocates for the platform’s abolition, stating it has failed to meet expectations. He emphasizes that the financial implications of its inefficiencies could lead to ongoing additional costs. Reports indicate the development and management of the platform have already cost 6.6 billion NOK, exceeding the initial budget of 4.1 billion NOK.