Anonymous

The idea is to develop and implement healthcare innovations through a living lab approach in which an external consultancy leads the co-creation process which is the living lab. The living lab is anchored in and owned by a stakeholder organization. The main stakeholders are asked to define a problem and develop hypothesis concerning the cause of the problem. They also generate ideas as to its solution. In one case, citizens from a municipality have involved in setting priorities for health care through a street lab approach. Though the living lab approach, ideas are generated and developed into innovations within problem-framework defined the main stakeholders. Trusted users test the ideas and ideas are experimentally implemented in a real-life context.

Innovations may involve digital technology such as mobile technology.

Results are specific innovations in health care. Further, the living lab approach is changing the mindset of the healthcare organisations towards thinking healthcare in a new way and becoming more outward oriented taking users situation more into consideration. The overall idea is, however, to create public value by changing the healthcare system towards a more patient-oriented approach.

A main challenge is that it takes time and efforts to change healthcare. Some user-oriented innovations may be easy to implement; however, some can take several years because they involve scientific projects. Scientific evidence for the effectiveness of the proposed solutions must be provided.

An innovation method has been developed that draws on other methods and the scientific literature about innovation and change management, and for which there is some scientific evidence. This method may work in other contexts as well.

Providing new solutions in healthcare that change the healthcare system towards involving users more in taking care of own health.  This must lead to fewer hospital admissions and higher perceived quality of healthcare.

Living labs can be a method of collaborative innovation that involves strategic changes of the healthcare system towards a more outward oriented approach.