Lunch for Smart Solutions

A smooth and straightforward meeting place for clinicians, academics, and researchers. That’s the core idea behind Innovator’s Lunch.
“This type of informal meeting is beneficial both for learning and development,” says Annika Bergström, project manager at East Sweden Medtech and initiator of the lunch concept.

Since the launch of Innovator’s Lunch in spring 2023, many important topics have been discussed – robotics, 3D/AM, digital twins, self-monitoring, and materials research, to name a few.
The goal is to invite two speakers to each session, one from academia and one from healthcare.
“We often have fairly broad themes, and it becomes interesting with two different approaches to the topic,” says Annika Bergström.
She cites self-monitoring as an example.
“Then, Petra Jacobson, a specialist nurse at the Pulmonary Medicine Clinic, shared her perspective on the work of involving patients more in their own care, and Professor Mattias Elg, who among other things, researches efficiency and quality development in healthcare, provided his research-based perspective.
I know they learned a lot from each other.”

Now, the first meeting after the summer is approaching. On September 17th, the tables will be set with a light lunch, and the discussion topic will be “Close Care.” Among those present will be Niclas Hilding, head of Primary Care in the central part of Östergötland County.
“Close Care means that the staff’s work is based on the patient’s conditions. We will discuss the possibilities of moving more care to the home,” says Annika Bergström.
“We haven’t finalized the autumn themes yet, but cybersecurity might be one of them,” she continues.

East Sweden Medtech’s role in the lunches is to capture identified needs in healthcare and help connect them with new technology, new platforms, or new fields, or for that matter, with existing technology that can be beneficial.
And Annika would like to see more concrete needs highlighted during the autumn lunches.
“My hope is that more needs from clinical practice will be raised. Maybe someone has an idea that needs to be pitched? Preferably someone who works in the field and has a clear request for a product or method that can improve the work,” she says.
“There will be academics and researchers present to listen, and they need to hear this directly from those who need a smart and innovative solution. This way, important connections can be made – exactly as intended with Innovator’s Lunch.”

Do you have an idea that you would like to bring up during a lunch?
Feel free to contact Annika Bergström at annika.bergstrom@eastswedenmedtech.se.