Guðrún accuses Alma of hindering health innovation

Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, leader of the Independence Party, accused Health Minister Alma D. Möller of making it harder for innovation companies to access the health system, mbl.is reported. Alma said the Digital Health office was intended to serve private companies, reduce duplication and improve efficiency.

During an unscheduled question session in Iceland’s parliament, Guðrún asked whether the minister would ensure companies had a chance to compete for projects before the ministry decided to develop solutions itself. Alma said public procurement laws and rules were being followed, but did not give a clear answer on whether companies would be guaranteed that opportunity.

Guðrún said Icelandic companies had achieved notable results in health innovation, but entrepreneurs had described hitting a wall when trying to introduce their solutions in Iceland. She cited barriers to access, heavy bureaucracy and cases in which projects were not put out to tender.

She said companies had had to seek to uphold their rights in dealings with the Directorate of Health over purchases of digital solutions. Guðrún also said Alma had faced criticism over access for innovation companies since her time as director of health, and that legal cases from that period were still ongoing.

Guðrún criticised the transfer of work to the Digital Health office within the Ministry of Health, arguing that the unit had expanded and become less efficient. She said patients were waiting and health workers were under heavy pressure, and called for Icelandic companies to have a real opportunity to demonstrate their solutions, which should be assessed on quality and results.

Alma said she found it difficult to understand the criticism, noting that many digital solutions were already in use. She agreed that the solutions needed to be used more effectively and said she had brought together work previously carried out by the Directorate of Health, Landspítali hospital and the Development Centre for Primary Healthcare.

Digital Health is currently an office within the ministry while services are being developed, Alma said, adding that a separate agency might be needed in the future. A bill on Digital Health is being prepared. The office is also intended to serve private companies, and ways to make that easier are being examined.

“This solves no problems. It just moves the problem elsewhere,” Guðrún said in a later contribution.