The health platform will be rolled out in four new hospitals.

The scandal-plagued records system Helseplattformen is to be introduced at four new hospitals this weekend. The head of department who notified before the introduction at St. Olav’s hospital, warns. Again.

– It was much worse than I thought. After all, we are 10 percent down in activity.

2.5 years ago, department head Åsmund Straum was one of the first to come forward with his concerns about the Helseplattformen computer system. When Aftenposten interviewed him in autumn 2022, the introduction of the computer system was a few days away.

– It is irresponsible to introduce this, he said and believed that the new record system would permanently delay work and reduce capacity. And go beyond the patients.

Introduced at the weekend

On Wednesday, Helse Møre og Romsdal decided that the system will be introduced at the hospitals in Ålesund, Volda, Molde and Kristiansund on Saturday 27 April.

The board of the health company believes they have obtained additional staffing, which will ensure a safe introduction.

The introduction is taking place despite errors, shortcomings and several serious incidents related to the introduction of the computer system at St. Olav’s hospital:

– 9,000 fewer investigations

Back in 2022, Åsmund Straum estimated that 3,000 CT or MRI examinations would not be done. He was concerned that referrals would disappear and that cancer cases would go undetected.

He was more than right in his concern.

Aftenposten has seen figures that Straum has extracted. CT and MRI examinations for the period January to October 2023 are compared with the same period before introduction.

They show that approx. 9,000 fewer investigations. The figures for 2024 show improvement, but still far behind the average before the introduction of the computer system.

Straum says there are many reasons why they do fewer investigations now:

• The system is cumbersome.
• There are many clicks and opportunities for error.
• People work slowly when they try to create their own systems to get an overview.
• They have spent a lot of time reporting errors and attending meetings to improve the system.

– This has led to the computer system stealing time and money from the patients. The focus of the health service should be to provide as many health services as possible to the population. Now the focus is on getting the computer system in order which does not help the population, Straum believes.

– Spread the problems outward

Helse Midt-Norge believes that the Health Platform will provide patients and residents with safer and better treatment. They also believe that healthcare personnel will have an easier working day.

Åsmund Straum thinks it strange that more hospitals should introduce the system when there are still serious cases with several supervisory authorities, which have not been answered and rectified.

Straum says that only weeks still pass between each time new serious errors appear with patients who are “gone” from the lists.

– They don’t get anything out of the system until it works for us. I don’t think it’s a good idea to spread the problems out.

– The health platform is here to stay

Ingvill Kvernmo is owner director of Helse Midt-Norge. She confirms that the introduction at St. Olavs has been demanding. But now the activity has picked up. Waiting times are decreasing.

– The health platform is here to stay, and we are concerned with the goal of better and comprehensive health services for the best for the patient and our citizens, she writes in an e-mail to Aftenposten.

But why do they choose to introduce a system that is under scrutiny by several supervisory bodies, in new hospitals?

Kvernmo says that significant improvements have been made since St. Olav’s hospital started. Helse Møre og Romsdal has also worked to reduce the risk leading up to the introduction.

– Although there remain some areas that are still described as critical, measures are in place to ensure patient safety and a safe working environment when they now use the solution, writes Kvernmo.

– Tra senior doctor has resigned

Åsmund Straum says that three senior doctors at St. Olavs have resigned because of the Health Platform.

But he is still in the position. And he will stay.

– It doesn’t help that I quit, he says.