With decades of experience in innovation and international business development, Marianne Larsson, Health Innovation Manager at Innovation Skåne, is passionate about scaling digital health solutions that deliver real impact for patients and healthcare systems alike.
1. Could you start by telling us a bit about your background and your role at Innovation Skåne?
I support my colleagues in driving innovation for real, positive impact on society. I founded and led HealthTech Nordic, a world-leading healthtech community in terms of both quantity and quality, in collaboration with Nordic partners. I’ve spent the past 18 years developing new methods for innovation that create real impact. Before that, I was a partner at a management consulting firm, and for 15 years I held business development roles in international corporations. Going further back, I hold a Master of Science in Biotech Engineering.
2. What was the key motivation behind launching DigiH4A, and why is the North Sea region a strategic focus for this kind of healthcare innovation?
Providing timely, high-quality care for citizens is becoming increasingly challenging with rising chronic disease rates and a growing elderly population. There is strong evidence that digital health solutions improve health outcomes and reduce costs in chronic disease management, making resources available for more care. However, tradition, fragmented budgets, and siloed incentives prevent the implementation and availability of these solutions. These are systemic issues that the DigiH4A project addresses. This situation is common across Europe, and the rest of the world.
The North Sea region offers a diverse mix of care systems, which provides a valuable opportunity to develop a variety of new pathways that others can learn from.
With proven digital health solutions, people stay healthier for longer... more health for the buck.
3. Chronic disease management is at the heart of DigiH4A. What challenges are patients and healthcare systems currently facing in this area, and how can digital solutions help?
Chronic disease accounts for more than 80% of healthcare spending, and disease is on the rise. Today, more and more people are waiting longer for diagnosis and specialist care. The longer they wait, the more critical the condition, resulting in a loss of quality of life, and sometimes, a loss of life itself. Serious conditions also mean more costly care and hospitalisation. Today, many patients are in and out of hospitals multiple times per year.
With proven digital health solutions, people stay healthier for longer. They get diagnosed earlier, they are empowered to take better care of themselves and, because healthcare may monitor vitals and be alerted, they are cared for promptly, reducing the risk of deterioration. Hospital stays can be reduced by up to 50%! Lives are saved, emergency visits are minimised, and while quality of care improves, large volumes of hospital resources are freed up to provide care for a growing elderly population. Simply put – more health for the buck.
4. The project aims to create new reimbursement models and cost-benefit frameworks. Why are these financial tools so critical to the success and scaling of digital health solutions?
When you ask professionals and entrepreneurs who understand these opportunities why solutions that keep people healthier and reduce hospitalisations haven’t been widely implemented yet, they’ll point to two major obstacles.
First: Who should pay for these additional tools, right here and now? There are no extra resources in primary, elderly, or hospital care to fund them, even when the cost is very low compared to traditional tools. Freeing up hospital capacity might, under current systems, lead to budget cuts rather than reinvestment. Few managers want that. Shifting resources between care levels is practically unheard of. There are no incentives to share across care levels to keep people healthier for longer and reallocate freed-up resources. In fact, often the opposite is true. To initiate change, separate additional funding will likely be needed. And for long-term success, incentives and budgets must be aligned around health outcomes, cost efficiency, and cooperation acrosssilos.
Second: attitudes. Without experience and in the face of persistent negative rumours about digital solutions, many professionals fear risking patient safety. The only widely accepted standard for clinical proof is designed for medication - and doesn’t account for many benefits of digital solutions. Demonstrating the diverse and significant benefits of digital tools in a credible and holistic way is essential for progress.
In short, pioneers in healthcare will tell you: these barriers are all man-made and they can be changed, if we truly want to. But change is difficult. And complicated.
5. SMEs play a big role in the project - how is DigiH4A engaging with these innovators, and what value do they bring to the table?
SMEs providing digital health solutions are facing the above hurdles daily. Many have been active for 10-15 years, optimistic that the market would open up much earlier, especially once growing evidence from studies and pilots became available. It’s a no-brainer - a win-win situation for all. More health for the buck. But with no payment structures and persistent negative attitudes, many have been forced to pivot to other areas to survive. Some of the most brilliant companies I know, with highly valued solutions, finally went bankrupt in 2024. It’s such a waste.
6. The partnership includes a diverse mix of health authorities, universities, and innovation actors. What makes this collaboration especially well-equipped to deliver on the project’s ambitious goals?
To drive this change in a very traditional line of government regulated organisations, these actors are all key to finding the way forward. The authorities understand what is required on their part and have the mandate to pave the way for large-scale adoption. In addition to preparing for further research in this field, universities ensure quality and rigour, particularly in developing new methods to demonstrate the comprehensive health and cost benefits of digital health. And innovation actors provide real-world knowledge of all hurdles, making sure we address them in ways that unlock our desired impact.
I look forward to the day when all citizens in Europe, including my family and I, can get the care we need when we need it, regardless of how rich we are, what language we speak, or our different backgrounds.
7. Looking ahead, what lasting impact do you hope DigiH4A will have - not only in the North Sea region but across Europe - in how we approach digital health and chronic care?
I look forward to the day when all citizens in Europe, including my family and I, can get the care we need when we need it, regardless of how rich we are, what language we speak, or our different backgrounds. It will be affordable for both society and insurance companies. Nurses will love their work again, empowered to provide better care, with less stress and admin. Doctors will appreciate having tools to assist them in every difficult decision - from diagnosis to treatment prioritisation - enabling them to deliver high-quality care to more people.
We already know that good digital health solutions are the key to making all of this happen. And the SMEs developing these solutions will play a vital role: as their innovations take root, they’ll grow into larger employers and continue to deliver tools that make care better and more affordable across Europe.