Folkemødet 2017 – Dialogue and networking on the sunshine island
For the third time in a row, you could find CIMT at Folkemødet (the People's Meeting) on Bornholm in June. OUH and SDU shared a stand with a focus on health technology, and we held a total of 30 events over the four days of the public meeting!
The subjects were i.a. future healthcare, dementia, healthcare robots, use of data in healthcare, apps for patients and staff, intelligent technology for e.g. rehabilitation, the camera pill project and patient involvement in innovation projects via participatory design research.
Each day started with morning gymnastics, where a trainer from DGI Bornholm wearing special training sensors guided us through the exercises. Then the first presentation of the day was based on data from the sensors. During the days, the programme alternated between panel debates with 30-50 listeners and short presentations about the many projects and technologies we work with in CIMT. In particular, the My Hospital app (which now has over 20,000 users) and OUH's apps for employees aroused the audience's interest and curiosity.
Great interest and many ideas
During the four days, we also received a lot of comments and suggestions for improvements in the healthcare system from the citizens who visited the stand. Via small cardboard cards, the visitors were encouraged to come up with good ideas, e.g. during the presentation: 'If I were the health minister, I would...', which resulted in many good suggestions from both young and older visitors to the stand.
During the meeting, innovation consultant Christian Tvede was also interviewed by the news site Medwatch about OUH's work with apps and our ideas for using drones for improved logistics.
Folkemødet reaches far and wide
After the four days on Bornholm, it is clear that Folkemødet is something very special and provides a relevant benefit for organisations such as OUH and SDU. The activities during Folkemødet combine the best of the normal types of events we participate in; professional conferences and citizen-oriented information activities, so that you reach far and wide in both topics and participants.
Through participation in Folkemødet, we at CIMT have both received professional input from other healthcare professionals and technology researchers, created collaborative contacts and have received input from citizens on how we can improve their experience in the healthcare system. And last, but certainly not least, we have been in dialogue with politicians and key national figures, who are necessary to achieve our ambitions for the healthcare system of the future.
Therefore, CIMT certainly expects to be present at Folkemødet again in 2018. We hope to see you on Bornholm for good dialogues and mutual inspiration.