Telia, Region Stockholm exploring 5G tech to improve healthcare services

Telia Company and Region Stockholm will test the capabilities of mobile 5G services in improving patient safety and healthcare communication.

The Swedish technology company said it had finished the setup of a 5G test bed at an emergency hospital in Stockholm. The instrument will help project developers understand the technical requirements that 5G networks must fulfil to aid healthcare services.

“New technology creates opportunities for more accessible and qualitative care,” said Magnus Leonhardt, head of strategy and innovation at Telia.

“At the same time, high patient safety is a prerequisite for the continued digital development of care. That, in turn, requires robust and secure communication solutions, which is exactly what 5G technology was developed for.”

The telecommunications firm explained that rapid communication and real-time information provided by 5G technology could help save lives during an emergency.

Region Stockholm head of innovation Fredrik Engströmer said a patient might need immediate care in an emergency, or several patients might come in at once. The 5G technology is expected to accelerate healthcare provision.

In this trial, the test bed will assess several innovative services that benefit patients and healthcare professionals, such as real-time video communication between an emergency room and an ambulance en route to the hospital.

The partnership between Telia and Region Stockholm was initiated in the autumn of last year as a part of the latter’s “location-independent mobile care solutions” project. The Stockholm company contributes technical expertise to the partnership by developing the test bed and overseeing the operation.

About Region Stockholm

Region Stockholm is an entity that oversees publicly-financed healthcare and public transport within Stockholm County. The body is one of the largest healthcare providers in Europe.

The location-independent mobile care solutions project is a collaboration between its research and innovation department with regional healthcare entities including Ambulanssjukvården i Storstockholm (AISAB), Locum and Stockholm’s health and medical care administration.

Telia is an external collaboration partner for the project alongside Dedalus, a company that specialises in providing IT solutions for the healthcare system.