By Charlotte Tybjerg Sørensen, AAU Kommunikation og Public Affairs
Photo: Colourbox

The official name of the mission is “Improved Health through Coherence and Individualization.” The health of citizens will be increased through technology-supported and coherent patient care pathways, tailored to the individual patient.

“With a new ambitious research, innovation, and education-oriented mission, we are now ready to tackle the challenges faced by the healthcare system and patients. With digital technologies, we will ensure better patient care pathways. Among other things, by supporting more coherence across sectors, individualized treatment, and a focus on supporting patients’ management of chronic diseases,” says Professor Michael Skovdal Rathleff, Department of Department of Health Science and Technology and Center for General Practice at Aalborg University.

Data from stakeholders form the basis of the mission

Michael Skovdal Rathleff has led the preparatory work for the mission, which has been developed by an interdisciplinary working group with representatives from all four faculties.

Based on data from more than 400 stakeholders: citizens, patients, clinicians, and leaders in the Danish healthcare system, as well as researchers from all faculties at AAU, the group has identified the challenges that need to be addressed and the direction to take to improve the health of Danes.

The health mission was approved by AAU’s board at its meeting on October 29. Here, the mission and the plan for its initiation and rollout were presented.

Establishing partnerships is essential for the mission’s success

Professor Michael Skovdal Rathleff will lead the Mission Management team that will oversee the health mission. The other members of the Mission Management team are Associate Professor Ninna Meier, Department of Sociology and Social Work, AAU, Professor Niels van Berkel, Department of Computer Science, AAU, and Professor John Rasmussen, Department of Materials and Production, AAU.

“It is essential that we establish partnerships between research and collaborators from the healthcare system, regions, municipalities, companies, and patient representatives, so that together we can find new technological solutions that match patients’ needs. This will pave the way for a healthcare system that is resilient to both current and future challenges,” says Michael Skovdal Rathleff.

The initiation of the health mission is part of Aalborg University’s identity as a mission-driven university. In 2023, the “Sustainable Energy System” mission and the “Improved Wellbeing Among Children And Youth” mission were launched. The health mission is thus the third mission the university is rolling out to find solutions to major societal challenges.

Read more about the mission here (in danish).