New ideas in health innovation awarded for the third consecutive year

Halmstad University collaborates with several regional strategic partners to develop education, research, and innovation, with Getinge Sterilization Inc. being one of them. As part of the collaboration with Getinge Sterilization Inc., the company annually awards scholarships for graduation projects in the field of health innovation, one of the University’s focus areas. The total scholarship amount is SEK 100,000, divided into one scholarship of SEK 40,000 SEK and three of SEK 20,000 each.

Safe patient transfer

Sofie Krüger and Ellinor Nilsson from Programme in Innovation Engineering received the highest scholarship of SEK 40,000 for their prototype, FlexiCare. It is a portable breathing unit that simplifies the transfer of patients. Today, moving a patient with a tracheal cannula requires great caution to prevent the cannula in the throat from moving, which can cause complications for both the patient and the healthcare staff.

“A simple activity like moving a patient from a chair to a wheelchair can entail significant risks”, explains Sofie Krüger.

The idea emerged four years ago when Ellinor Nilsson worked as a personal assistant for the youngest ALS patient in the Nordic countries at the time. The patient had received a tracheal cannula connected to a respirator to facilitate breathing.

“I asked the respiratory nurses what the most challenging task was in respirator care and I was surprised that the answer was patient transfer”, says Ellinor Nilsson.

The student duo sees the prototype’s potential in intensive care units – and the Swedish Armed Forces, where there is also a lack of effective portable solutions for use in the field and in hospitals.

Person-centered antidepressant medication and home blood sampling

Another happy scholarship recipient was Lina Klysing from the Master’s Programme in Health and Lifestyle. Her graduation project focuses on patients’ experiences with treatment using nasal esketamine (ESK) – an antidepressant medication that, due to potential side effects, requires monitoring at a healthcare facility. In her study, Lina Klysing interviewed 20 patients who received this treatment at an outpatient psychiatric clinic. The results showed that effective ESK treatment requires healthcare personnel with specialised competence, respect, a supportive care environment, and patient involvement. Therefore, Lina Klysing recommends a patient-centred approach to ensure patients feel safe and achieve the desired treatment outcomes.

The Innovation Engineers Annie Henrysson and Erik Lesand Ranhög also received a scholarship for a prototype. They have developed a prototype that allows patients to measure their hemoglobin levels at home, which is particularly valuable for patients who would otherwise need to regularly visit the hospital for blood tests – a process that is both time-consuming and stressful.

“The product is the size of a smartphone and comes with an app and a website that both the patient and healthcare personnel can access. The measurement is done through a simple finger prick, and the patient’s value is displayed directly in the app and on the website. This allows responsible healthcare personnel to monitor and make treatment decisions early after the test, whether the patient is at the hospital or at home”, explains Erik Lesand Ranhög.

Winning strategies for health apps

Mahsan Rostamipour and Viktor Wieslander are the first business students to receive a scholarship from Getinge Sterilization. They were awarded for their graduation project on market segmentation and differentiation in the health application industry. Both have studied International Marketing and noticed a significant shift in the digital health technology sector since the introduction of health apps.

“These have become an integral part of modern health habits, offering users the ability to monitor and improve their well-being”, says Mahsan Rostamipour.

This sector has become both lucrative and highly competitive, where different strategies are crucial for the survival and growth of app companies. Mahsan Rostamipour and Viktor Wieslander have analysed how companies segment their markets. Segmentation involves dividing customers into different groups based on specific criteria and differentiating their services by offering unique features or benefits. The students examined six companies that operate health apps, with features ranging from addressing niche issues to offering solutions that appeal to a broad audience.

“We recommend companies to develop and refine their segmentation and differentiation strategies continuously”, says Viktor Wieslander.

According to the study, companies selling health apps should focus on technological innovation and customer customisation to better meet consumer needs, increase the user base, and ultimately strengthen their market position.

The scholarship recipients’ advice to health app companies is clear:

“Update with the latest technology and integrate innovative solutions into the app, such as AI-based features for improved data collection and analysis. Also, maintain ongoing customer communication to understand their needs and preferences, which aids app development and the selection of the most appropriate pricing model”, says Mahsan Rostamipour.

Text: Katarina Tran
Photo: Dan Bergmark and Ida Fridvall