Transforming Patient Care with Self-Testing Technology

Alphatron Medical Nordics is at the forefront of tackling healthcare challenges through innovative medical technology solutions. One of their groundbreaking developments, the Alviscan self-testing kiosk, empowers patients to independently measure vital signs ahead of healthcare visits. This pioneering device is the first of its kind to achieve integration within the Swedish healthcare system. The challenge was to successfully integrate the technology into the healthcare system in Sweden and to ensure that Alviscan meets the specific requirements of Swedish healthcare. These included aligning with existing workflows, accommodating diverse patient demographics, and upholding the system's commitment to efficiency and quality care.

With the self-testing kiosk, Alphatron Medical Nordics is making a significant step toward more patient-centered care in Sweden. By enabling patients to measure blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, temperature, height, and weight, valuable time is freed for healthcare staff, making the care process more efficient. Västerbotten region is leading the way in developing the future of healthcare, and the self-testing kiosk has now been tested at several healthcare units in the region.

Through dialogue with Biomedical Engineering – Research and Development (MT-R&D) at Region Västerbotten, Alphatron Medical Nordics connected with Digital Impact North, who became a key partner in the project. Within the Future Health initiative, Digital Impact North has contributed with advice, access to networks, and expertise. We helped identify suitable healthcare units for testing, facilitated dialogue with stakeholders, and offered guidance on critical aspects such as data security, user-friendliness, and system integration. The collaborative approach ensured that Alviscan was optimised to meet the specific needs of Swedish healthcare, accelerating its implementation and success.

“When we met Alphatron in the beginning of the year, the main question was which operations would benefit most from this,” says Johan Skönevik, hospital engineer at MT-R&D.  “In a previous study conducted in 2021, we mapped the need for self-monitoring across the region through workshops and dialogue meetings, so we knew several intressents who would be interested in participating. We selected three operations to ensure a spread of use cases, and all responded positively and wanted to participate. The emergency department at Lycksele Hospital was also interested but didn't have enough space in their small facility. During an open house at Lycksele Hospital, we connected with Hörnefors Health Center, which became the fourth pilot site.”

Alviscan was tested for the first time in Swedish healthcare during the summer of 2024 at Backens Health Center in Umeå. Patients and healthcare staff had the opportunity to evaluate how the kiosk works in practice, resulting in many positive reactions. Regular feedback sessions with patients and staff provided valuable insights and suggestions for improvements.

“We wanted to investigate whether the self-testing kiosk could increase the patient involvement in healthcare while also benefiting the operation. Our evaluation showed that most staff found the kiosk well-suited to the care process. There were suggestions for different workflows where it could be more effective, depending on the patient group. The measurement results were perceived as partially reliable and comparable to traditional measurements by healthcare staff, though further testing is needed. It would be more efficient if the values were transferred directly to patient records,” says Matilda Dahlstrand, research- and district nurse at Backens Health Center.

Following the pilot at Backens Health Center, Alviscan has been tested at the Cancer Center at University Hospital of Umeå, the surgical clinic at Lycksele Hospital, and is now available at Hörnefors Health Center. Testing the self-testing kiosk in multiple healthcare units validated its compatibility with Swedish healthcare workflows and demonstrated its potential to enhance patient involvement and streamline care processes. The positive results generated interest from other regions, creating opportunities for market expansion. The next step is to expand implementation to more healthcare units and regions.

“Region Västerbotten was the first to test Alviscan. Now we see significant interest from other actors who want to join.” says Annika Elmerstad, Area manager at Alphatron Medical Nordics.