Response: We must take advantage of digitalization

Jonas Söderström writes in DN debatt (7/7) that "IT and administration have perverted healthcare". This is a categorical formulation that risks leading people astray. IT in itself does not pervert. It is how IT is used, the business benefit, that determines whether IT brings benefits. In industry, commerce and offices, IT has brought about significant changes for the better. It would be strange if healthcare, schools and the judiciary did not have the same conditions, writes Anne-Marie Fransson, Director of IT&Telekomföretagen and Håkan Petersson, Chairman of Arena Welfare Technology and Sector Manager and SVP, Capgemini Sweden, on DN debate.

However, the article contains relevant points. Ignorant purchasers can drive forward systems that are at best good in themselves, but which seen as a whole can lead to poor usability of the IT support. The business benefit, seen in a larger context, becomes low or at worst negative. But this cannot be blamed on IT. The criticism must be directed at those responsible for operations.

It is an accepted truth that IT use can increase productivity, quality and efficiency. But this requires changes in working methods and organizations. On this point, one can have doubts about the use of IT in the public sector. When Söderström claims that "bureaucracy 2.0 comes in the form of IT system after IT system, which employees are forced to spend more and more time dealing with", he ignores possible positive effects. But if systems are introduced without considering the need to change organization, skills and processes, there could be negative effects. But the fault then lies not with the IT systems themselves, but with the leadership.

The article also contains some breathtaking wording, which can lead people astray. There is indeed a difference between sales and healthcare services, between shoes and schools. Healthcare is a particularly information-dense business; it requires more administration than a shoe shop and the requirements of security and privacy thankfully lead to some administrative control.

The categorical view summarized in the sentence "in the world of work, IT development has shifted onto a track that involves control, management, documentation and statistical fetishism" feels, to put it mildly, wrong. IT development has often meant support, simplification and quality improvement for those concerned. If it has shifted onto the wrong track, it is not the IT development itself that is to blame.

But where, and by whom, should it be decided whether new requirements are justified or just burdensome? These are important questions and perhaps something that is discussed too little. We therefore welcome the fact that Mr. Söderström raises these issues.

IT&Telekomföretagen has initiated a forum, Arena välfärdsteknologi, where the industry, client organizations and other stakeholders can discuss how IT support in welfare can be made as attractive and easy to use as possible. The issues raised in the article are highly relevant to discuss in this forum. However, the starting point should always be how we can best take advantage of digitization and benefit from the IT services that can actually streamline, simplify and facilitate both employees in health and social care and users and their relatives. Not how to counteract this development and turn back the clock.

Anne-Marie Fransson
Director of IT&Telecom within Almega

Håkan Petersson
Chairman, Arena Welfare Technology, Sector Manager and SVP, Capgemini Sweden

Reply published on dn.se/debatt on July 9, 2013.