Medtech Close-up: Norway

On October 15th 2010 Swiss Medical Technology met with representatives from Healthcare in Norway at a seminar at Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet. The meeting was organized by Swiss Medtech and Oslo Medtech as a technology seminar during the state visit of the President of Switzerland in Norway. The Siwiss President, the Royal Highnesses the King and Queen of Norway, the Minister of Health and Care Services, the CEO of the Regional Health Autority and the CEO at Oslo University Hospital were among the high level representatives from the relevant authorities at the seminar sessions. The program highlightetd the policies of both countries and underlined the crucial role of innovation in addressing health care supply and demand factors. It provided an unique opportunity for the Norwegian Medtech Cluster and healthcare organizations to meet with representatives from the highly successful and competitive Swiss Medtech industry. The Swiss medtech industry originating from the watchmaking industry employs 45.000, and represents 5% of the Swiss GDP. Successful medtech companies from Switzerland and Norway presented, and networked during the event. In the Keynote Speech professor Georg Von Krogh, Chair of Strategic Management and Innovation at the Swiss Technical University, ETH in Zurich, addressed the benefits of innovation in healthcare. In the Swiss approach to innovation in medtech, a balanced eco-system is established with governmental support. Switzerland has more than 1200 annual medtech patents, and over 80% of medtech startup companies still exists after 5 years. Professor Erik Fosse presented the innovation model established at The Intervention Centre to create a link between inovators and a clinical, hospital based R&D environment. A large group of seminar participants joined professor Fosse for a walk-around at The intervention Centre after the official program.