The YSI project (University hospitals as innovation platforms) aimed at creating a nationally reproducible operating model for finding and assessing innovations that meet the needs of hospitals and creating new business out of them by means of co-creation. The operating model is based on development needs arising from either daily hospital work or the strategic development policies of hospital districts, with Turku focusing on the former approach (bottom-up) and Oulu focusing on the latter approach (top-down). The project concluded on 31 December 2017.
In Turku, the development of the operating model involved assessing the daily needs of hospitals and identifying the ones with business potential. These were then offered to companies to find solutions to them. In Oulu, the project focused on building a co-creation model for cooperation between interest groups. The models were also tested in practice in both Turku and Oulu.
Results of the YSI project
- In addition to the development of the YSI operating model, the project fostered the innovation activities of hospital districts overall. The hospital districts’ cooperation with universities and companies also increased. One of the central merits of the project was the implementation of innovation ambassador activities at the hospital districts. Furthermore, the project produced valuable information on the special characteristics of university hospitals as innovation platforms. This information will be utilised nationally in different hospital districts as part of the cooperation carried out in the Virtual Hospital 2.0 project, for example.
- The YSI project sped up and concretised companies’ product development, allowing them to bring their solutions to market faster and more efficiently. Providing companies with information on hospitals’ needs and the opportunity to develop solutions with various interest groups gave rise to new business opportunities.
- The operating model produced in the YSI project can be widely replicated in the health care sector. It integrates with many national development projects, such as Business Finland’s HUS Testbed project and the 6Aika Open innovation platforms spearhead project. The model also combines seamlessly with other national development projects, the most important of which are the aforementioned Virtual Hospital 2.0 project and the inDemand project which is implemented in collaboration between Finland, Spain and France.
The lead partner of the YSI project (University hospitals as innovation platforms) was Turku Science Park. The project partners included the University of Turku, the Hospital District of Southwest Finland, the University of Oulu and the Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District. The project was carried out between 1 May 2016 and 31 December 2017 and its budget was EUR 716 334.
Further information
Janne Lahtiranta (Ph.D.), Senior Advisor
eHealth, Turku Science Park Oy
janne.lahtiranta(at)businessturku.fi
tel. + 358 (0)400 789 984
Pauliina Hyrkäs, Project Manager
Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District
pauliina.hyrkas(at)ppshp.fi
tel. +358 (0)40 504 6180