BY Torben Haugaard Jensen, AAU Communication and Public Affairs.
Photo: Lars Horn

More digitalization and greater use of data. And a new organisation of digital health solutions. This will help future-proof Denmark's healthcare system, the Healthcare Structure Commission said in June.

Joint digital solutions across the healthcare system will change work procedures, organization, forms of collaboration and the way healthcare services are delivered – all to the benefit of the general public. And AAU will play a central role in conjunction with the North Denmark Region.

So says Professor Ole Kæseler Andersen, whose position was extended as vice dean for research and innovation at the Faculty of Medicine.

"Our vision is to be a leader in digital health, and with our vast experience with telemedicine solutions, AI tools and the development of digital health technology solutions, we are well placed to contribute to the future-proofing of the healthcare system. I will work for that," says Ole Kæseler Andersen.

Doctors and engineers create joint solutions

The digital transformation of the healthcare system requires engineering knowledge, and in this respect, according to Ole Kæseler Andersen, Aalborg University has the opportunity to take the lead.

"Our engineers have deep insight into the healthcare domain, and they work closely with our doctors and MSc grads to find solutions that make a difference for patients. This means that we can deliver a unique research-based contribution to the digital transformation," says Ole Kæseler Andersen.

Dean Lars Hvilsted Rasmussen at the Faculty of Medicine also highlights the collaboration between doctors and engineers as a significant contribution to meeting the challenges of the healthcare system of the future.

"The Faculty of Medicine’s VISION 2030 focuses on finding solutions at the intersection of doctors and engineers. Vice Dean for Research and Innovation Ole Kæseler Andersen has been and is a driving force in realizing and implementing this vision. I am thus looking forward to a new period of a strong, constructive partnership with Ole.

Also focus on the EU

Ole Kæseler Andersen will also work to ensure that the Faculty of Medicine’s research on digital health solutions plays a central role at the EU level. The EU is particularly interesting because of its ageing population.

"More and more EU citizens need treatment in their own homes, and we can help in this regard given our research on telemedicine solutions," says Ole Kæseler Andersen.

He also highlights research on the use of health data as relevant to the EU. Researchers at the Faculty of Medicine have therefore recently begun to take a special interest in the EU initiative European Health Data Space, which will enable access to larger amounts of data.

Ole Kæseler Andersen is leading the development of an AAU IT platform for research on sensitive data, such as health data, that will serve as a foundation for the university's research on AI-based solutions for the good of patients.

"Our long-term focus on health registries and health data reflects a much greater degree of digitalization in Denmark than in the rest of the EU. This is clearly an area where we can play a role in Europe in the future, and it is our experience that our knowledge and input are listened to," says Ole Kæseler Andersen.

Translated by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication and Public Affairs