H E A L T H I N S I G H T S
As health systems across Europe strain under mounting operational and financial pressure, attention is turning to a part of the hospital few patients ever see. Beyond the high-profile advances in AI diagnostics and precision medicine, there’ s a growing recognition of the quieter systems that keep daily care moving. Often referred to as operational intelligence, these tools are less about clinical breakthroughs and more about making hospitals function better, behind the scenes, across departments and in real time.
Operational intelligence is stepping into the spotlight
Many conversations in HealthTech focus on the excitement surrounding AI diagnostics and clinical tools. However, hospitals are increasingly turning their attention to the systems that support day-to-day care behind the scenes. Tools that automate admin, improve internal communication, and help managers track performance are proving essential in keeping overstretched services running smoothly and scaling sustainably.
According to Philips, operational intelligence( OI) can drive‘ structural and behavioural change’ by integrating real-time data with clinical workflows. Business intelligence dashboards have been shown to reduce wait times by up to 22 %( HIMSS Analytics, 2020), and NHS trusts using OI platforms have saved millions by improving bed utilisation and reducing delays( NHS England).
A practical push from Norway
Maren Jervell Lund, Senior Advisor, Innovation Norway UK & Ireland, dives into the next era of care. In this article, Lund encourages leaders to rethink the approach to hospital infrastructure for improved systems and patient outcomes, drawing on the real-life approaches of countries like Norway who are tackling operational inefficiencies head on.
A growing number of B2B HealthTech companies from Norway are tackling operational inefficiencies head-on. Rather than selling complex new layers of tech, they focus on refining what’ s already there – streamlining checkins, connecting siloed data, and improving internal oversight. Norway has invested heavily in digital health infrastructure, with strong public-private collaboration and government support through bodies like Innovation Norway. This has created fertile ground for scalable, export-ready companies.
Several firms emerging from this ecosystem are already embedded in Norwegian hospitals and gaining traction abroad. Developed in Norway’ s highly regulated market and supportive business system, they offer pragmatic solutions that improve how hospitals manage patient flow, departmental coordination, and workforce oversight. With UK-facing trade activity
RETHINKING HOSPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE NEXT ERA OF CARE
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