Innovation in European healthcare – what can Sweden learn? - LIF

The overall Danish Innovation infrastructure is
relatively well functioning, but there is room for
improvements.
• In a Review of the Danish Research and Innovation
System, carried out on behalf of the European
Commission in September 2012 by the European
Research Area Committee (The ERAC-report) it is
emphasised that the relative size of the Danish public
sector provides good opportunities for innovation trough
public procurement, especially in the healthcare sector.
Further the Business Innovation Fund (Containing the 100
million DKK public renewal fund for healthcare innovation)
is praised as a good step towards a further increase in
innovation through public procurement.
• Also the Danish research institutes and universities are
seen as a strong part of the successful innovative
infrastructure. Though the report also emphasizes
infrastructural problems with the system for innovation:
Denmark has an infrastructural overload of innovation.
There are simply so many councils, committees and funds
supporting innovation, that the system has become too
complex.
• Further the investments could have a more strategic aim.
Instead of granting money for isolated innovation projects,
the innovation investments should, to a larger degree than
today, be coordinated strategically in accordance with
areas of political prioritisations and national positions of
strength.
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• In an overall perspective many actors in Danish
innovation offer overlapping services. Both the
regional innovation units, the innovation
environments and the innovation networks all
offer a broad spectrum of counselling services.
• In regard to investments, both the regional units
and the networks help innovators get in contact
with investors whereas the environments invest
directly in the projects they find lucrative.
• It could seem that there is a general potential for
efficiency improvements through better division of
tasks in linking the SME’s to RDI activities.