Norway is transforming healthcare with digital technology

Opinion:

OPINION: Digital technology can make healthcare more accessible, efficient, and sustainable.

Imagine
visiting your doctor without leaving your living room, or having your chronic
condition monitored through a simple app on your phone. This isn’t science
fiction – it is the future of Norwegian healthcare, and it’s happening right now.
But there’s a twist: while going digital promises to make healthcare more
efficient and accessible, it also offers an unexpected bonus for our planet.

The double challenge

Norwegian
hospitals face a fascinating puzzle. On one hand, they need to maintain the
high standard of care that Norwegians expect. On the other, they must
dramatically reduce their environmental footprint. 

Hospitals are energy-hungry
giants, among the largest public consumers of electricity and producers of
waste. The Norwegian Directorate of Health has set an ambitious roadmap targeting sustainable, low-emission
healthcare services by focusing on digitalisation, reducing travel, improving energy efficiency in buildings, and embracing circular economy principles.

Enter
digital transformation: the technology revolution that might solve both
challenges at once.

What does digital healthcare look like?

Think of
elderly patients managing their diabetes from home with digital monitoring
tools, or rural residents consulting specialists via video call instead of
driving hours to the nearest hospital. 

Programmes like eHealth Agder 2030 are
pioneering integrated digital platforms that connect hospitals with municipal
care services, allowing seamless coordination between different healthcare
providers.

Remote
monitoring systems can alert healthcare workers to problems before they become
emergencies, reducing unnecessary hospital visits. Digital platforms help
doctors and nurses share patient information instantly, avoiding duplicate
tests and procedures. 

Home follow-up programmes use welfare technology to support
patients recovering in their own homes rather than occupying hospital beds.

The roadblocks

But rolling
out these innovations isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. Norwegian
healthcare faces several significant hurdles.

First,
there’s the compatibility problem. Hospitals and municipal health services
often use different digital systems that don’t talk to each other. It’s like
trying to connect an iPhone to an old Nokia. The technology exists, but the
connections are frustrating. Data formats vary, and security firewalls
sometimes block useful coordination tools.

Second,
people matter more than technology. Research shows that managers’ attitudes toward digital
tools significantly influence whether new systems succeed or fail. If hospital leaders don’t trust or
understand the technology, staff won’t embrace it either. There’s also the
challenge of training: healthcare workers are already stretched thin, and
learning new systems takes time they often don’t have.

Then
there’s the sustainability paradox. While digital healthcare reduces travel and
paper use, it also demands significant energy for servers and data centres,
creates electronic waste, and requires constant hardware upgrades. The
environmental benefits aren’t automatic – they require careful planning and
sustainable procurement practices.

Finally,
there’s the equity question. Not everyone has equal access to digital
technology or the skills to use it. Elderly patients, rural communities, and
those with limited digital literacy might struggle with remote consultations or
health apps. If we’re not careful, going digital could create a two-tier
healthcare system where some patients get left behind.

The promise

Despite
these challenges, the potential is enormous. Remote monitoring could cut
transport emissions while improving chronic disease management. Shared digital
platforms might reduce hospital readmissions and resource waste through better
coordination. Norway’s welfare technology programme, running since 2013, provides
proven models that could be scaled up nationwide.

Success
requires more than just good technology. It demands strong leadership, proper
training, and regulatory frameworks that balance innovation with patient
privacy and security. Most importantly, it requires keeping patients at the
centre – ensuring that digital solutions enhance rather than replace the human
touch that makes healthcare meaningful.

The goal
isn’t to replace doctors with algorithms or turn healthcare into a purely
digital experience. Rather, it’s about using technology thoughtfully to make
healthcare more accessible, efficient, and yes – more sustainable. For Norway,
the path forward involves weaving together digital innovation with
environmental responsibility, creating a healthcare system that’s not just
high-tech, but also future-proof.

References:

• Helsedirektorat
  (2025). Roadmap for Sustainable,
  Low-Emission and Climate-Adapted Health and Care Services.
• OECD. (2025). Decarbonising
  Health Systems Across OECD Countries, OECD Health Policy Studies, OECD
  Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/5ac2b24b-en.
• Saunes, I.
  S., Durvy, B., & Litvinova, Y. (2024). Norway: Health system summary, 2024. European Observatory on Health
  Systems and Policies, WHO Regional Office for Europe. https://eurohealthobservatory.who.int/docs/librariesprovider3/publicationsnew/hit-summaries-no-flags/hit-summary-norway-2024-3p.pdf
• Oksavik, J.
  D., Vik, E., & Kirchhoff, R. (2024). Digital leadership: Norwegian healthcare
  managers’ attitudes towards using digital tools. Digital health, 10,
  20552076241277036. aspects
  influencing the scaling of digital remote care: A case from a Norwegian
  hospital region. (2023). Norsk IKT-Konferanse for Forskning Og
  Utdanning, 2.