The billion-dollar investment in Millennium will provide the Västra Götaland region’s 49 municipalities with a common health record system. But the rollout is currently hanging in the air, having been halted after just over three days of operation last week.
On Tuesday, the regional board in Västra Götaland decided to appoint an external review of the problems.
– It is an examination that will show what has happened and that has put us in this serious situation, says Helén Eliasson.
According to the original plan, the new so-called healthcare information system would be introduced in stages up to and including autumn 2026. The cost, including the contract with the supplier Oracle: SEK 5.5 billion.
The starting shot last week was, however, preceded by both criticism of the system from healthcare workers and warnings that Millennium was not finished.
“Really sorry”
With hindsight, no one listened enough to those concerns, admits Helén Eliasson.
– No, in hindsight it is an assessment you can make when you look at this. But the collective information that we had on the table was that they were ready to start introducing this, she says.
Instead, however, alarm reports came from the employees, among others, at Södra Älvsborg Hospital in Borås already during the first hours.
And last Friday, after just over three days, the introduction was at least temporarily put on hold.
– I really regret what happened, says Helén Eliasson.
– There are many people who put a lot of effort and energy into this. But we soon realized that this was not going well.
Different options
The politicians want the first results of the external review as early as December 10. In addition, the regional director Håkan Sandahl must draw up an action plan with various options for the future.
According to Helén Eliasson, this is important, not least considering that the region of Skåne is also facing the introduction of Millennium.
She does not want to speculate on what the way forward for the records system looks like.
– You can often draw very quick conclusions. But this is something we have been working on for several years in the Västra Götaland region, she says.
– Now it absolutely did not turn out as intended, and then we need to ensure first what it was that happened.