Management representatives across different levels from hospitals in South Denmark are learning how to be managers in a digital healthcare sector.

The future healthcare sector is digital and calls for improved digital skills 

The healthcare sector is going through a digital transformation, which necessitates new digital skills for healthcare professionals and requires that managers in the healthcare sector learn to navigate in a clinical setting where digital solutions plays an increasingly important role.

How does the use of digital technologies affect people?

In the second of four virtual educational modules about management in a digital healthcare sector, the focus was on which needs and dynamics are at play in connection with digitalisation.  

“It should start with involving the users, so that their needs are at the centre. Only then can we start considering technological solutions. Each manager should view their leadership role differently,”

explains Randi Lehmann Boesen

The purpose of the module was to look at how the use of digital technologies affects people?

How does it affect the users/patients?

How does it affect the employees?

What management tasks are relevant in this transition?

Actionable lessons

The virtual module is organised as actionable and interactive lessons that make use of e.g. user journey games, dialogues and inspirational videos with patients, employees, managers and researchers who list the challenges and dilemmas.

Another important part of the concept is the fact that management representatives across different levels and departments are brought together to collaborate on solving tasks and reflecting on tasks and responsibilities. Randi Lehmann Boesen, Innovation Consultant and teacher, explains

“We want to avoid participants sitting alone in front of their own computer. By sitting together in the department they establish a joint understanding of management in a digital healthcare sector.“

Pernille Højgaard, Management Consultant, Region of Southern Denmark (left) and Randi Lehmann Boesen, Innovation Consultant, Health Innovation Centre of Southern Denmark (right)

Before each module, participants receive a ’box’ with materials, tools and snacks to use in the lessons.

“It is good that the lessons are interactive. Interaction between us in the management group is extremely important. The user journey game is a good enabler for relevant discussions. We have come up with ideas of things to test in our work,”

says Chief Physician Henrik Boye Jensen, Neurology, Lillebaelt Hospital.

The Region of Southern Denmark prioritises til digital skills of their employees

About 1,000 managers in the Region of Southern Denmark will participate in four 4-hour modules of the Skills Programme for Management in a Digital Healthcare Sector. The management academy within the Region of Southern Denmark’s HR department is responsible for the content of the programme, and the Health Innovation Centre of Southern Denmark is responsible for one of the modules.

The background for the programme is an allocation by the Regional Council in 2020 of approximately 1.5 mio. Euro to enable employees to use IT systems and technologies better.

In addition to the programme for managers, each hospital in the region is responsible for advancing digital skills for healthcare professionals.

Programme Content 

• Kick off
• Module 1: New management conditions in a digital healthcare sector
• Module 2: Management and the users
• Module 3: Management and transformational technologies
• Module 4: Management of networks and innovation
• Select local projects
• Identify and break down barriers while learning more about management roles, tasks and collaboration
• Withdrawing learning from the projects and sharing knowledge
• Recap how far we have come through joint efforts and where we want to go in the future