Human Technology and Organisations Research Group

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DOME-konsortiet tar nästa steg: Ny finansiering för att möta framtidens utmaningar inom e-hälsa

1 February 2025 /

Vi är stolta över att kunna meddela att DOME-konsortiet har beviljats fortsatt finansiering från Forte för att stärka forskningen kring patienters tillgång till sina journaler och delad hälsodata. Med den snabbt växande digitaliseringen av hälso- och sjukvården och den nya EU-förordningen om ett gemensamt European Health Data Space (EHDS) står vi inför en tid av stora förändringar och möjligheter.

Vad är DOME-konsortiet?

DOME (Deployment of Online Medical Records and eHealth Services) är ett forskningskonsortium som har varit en ledande aktör inom forskning om patienters tillgång till sin journal online och relaterade e-hälsotjänster sedan 2012. Konsortiet har producerat över 130 forskningspublikationer, varav mer än 30 publicerades under de senaste tre åren.

DOME är unikt genom att samla forskare från flera discipliner och olika karriärnivåer – från doktorander till professorer – inom områden som teknik, samhällsvetenskap, medicin och humaniora. Konsortiet har en stark nordisk förankring men verkar också internationellt, med samarbeten i Europa och USA.

Varför är DOME-konsortiet mer relevant än någonsin?

Den nya EU-förordningen om European Health Data Space (EHDS), som införs 2024, kommer att förändra hanteringen av hälsodata i hela Europa. Den syftar till att:

  • Skapa en gemensam standard för hur hälsodata delas mellan EU-länderna.
  • Ge patienter ökad kontroll över sin egen hälsodata.
  • Stärka patientsäkerhet och integritetsskydd.

Men även om Sverige ligger långt fram i digital journalåtkomst via 1177.se, finns flera utmaningar där DOME-konsortiets forskning kan bidra, bland annat:

  • Ojämlik tillgång till journaler – Alla vårdgivare är inte anslutna, vissa kliniska områden (t.ex. psykiatri) exkluderas fortfarande.
  • Brist på ombudsfunktioner – Vuxna patienter kan i dag inte ge en anhörig fullständig tillgång till sin journal.
  • Begränsade möjligheter för patientinvolvering – Patienter kan inte kommentera sin journal, flagga felaktigheter eller tillföra egna hälsodata.
  • Informationssäkerhet och cyberskydd – Hur skyddar vi patientdata i en tid av ökande digitala hot?

DOME-konsortiet har en unik möjlighet att inte bara bidra med forskning utan också att påverka hur dessa frågor hanteras på både nationell och europeisk nivå.

Vad innebär den nya finansieringen?

Den nya finansieringen från Forte innebär att DOME-konsortiet kan:

  • Fördjupa och bredda samarbetet med nordiska och europeiska forskare.
  • Vidareutveckla internationella samarbeten med nya kontakter i Storbritannien, Tyskland, Bulgarien, Kroatien och Georgien.
  • Bidra till den svenska implementeringen av EHDS genom samarbete med E-hälsomyndigheten och andra aktörer.
  • Delta i policy- och beslutsprocesser genom internationella konferenser och seminarier.

Vill du veta mer?

Vi ser fram emot att fortsätta dela med oss av våra forskningsresultat och insikter genom seminarier, konferenser och publikationer. Håll utkik på vår webbplats domeconsortium.org för uppdateringar och möjligheter att engagera dig i vårt arbete!

Rose-Mharie Åhlfelth, Maria Hägglund och Åsa Cajander leder DOME-konsotriet.

Tack till Forte för förtroendet – vi ser fram emot tre spännande år av forskning och samverkan!

Registering a protocol for a scoping review

20 January 2025 /

We recently registered a protocol for a scoping review that we are working on. In our AROA project, we are taking a wide look into what research has been done on the work engagement consequences of digitalisation. As such, we are working on a scoping review rather than a systematic review. While a systematic review is perfect when you want to synthesise the evidence on a specific research question following a structured and rigorous process, it is not what we are trying to do as we instead want to provide an overview of the breadth of the research topic. Through a scoping review, we can thusly identify factors related to digital work engagement, how it has been researched previously, and what research gaps still exist in the collective research on the topic. The registered protocol for the scoping review can be found here.

But what is a research protocol then?

When doing either a systematic or scoping literature review, it is common practice to plan and write a protocol for the study first. The protocol, in its simplicity, is a written research plan covering the aims, the search and selection procedure and how the selected papers will be analysed. The main reasons for beginning with registering or publishing a protocol is that the risk for biased research practices decreases if you have a transparent research plan to follow beforehand. If you have a published protocol that is expected to be referenced when publishing the study itself, you will have to hold yourself to that plan. Another benefit of this is that it makes the literature study more accessible and easy to replicate and verify. Furthermore, the registered protocol highlights for others that this review is already a work in progress and that other researchers do not need to start such a study themselves. Lastly, if it is published, the quality of the planned procedure is likely improved as the peer-review process for the protocol will bring the validity and relevance of suggested method into question. That being said, publishing protocols for literature reviews are not yet common practice outside of research in healthcare and medicine as far as we have been able to find (if you are doing a systematic review relating to human health, you probably want to register it on Prospero or its like). As such, the alternative option is to register the protocol in one of the many registries of research plans (such as OSF.io or figshare.com) which unfortunately lack peer review and the benefits and frustrations that comes with it. So if you are planning to do a literature review, consider beginning with registering a protocol first to help you towards a better end result.

Good luck with whatever work or so you currently have going on and take care of yourselves!
Andreas Bergqvist, PhD Student in HCI

I used to be a writer. But everything changed when ChatGPT attacked.

17 January 2025 /

ChatBPT seems to be the answer to all of our questions today. Or so it seems, given all the ways people find to use the tool for advice. The last couple of months I’ve heard students talking about writing entire assignments, documentarians writing scripts, and people asking it for dating advice, which for me feels downright borderline dystopic.

Inevitably, this technology is used in academia as well, a topic which was discussed in the course Scientific Writing, examined by Dolly Kothawala, this past December. The course was a faculty wide PhD course, meaning that there were primarily students from STEM subjects, a setting that usually makes me and my colleague Andreas Bergqvist with our dubious qualitative methods approach to scientific research feel a bit out of place. Towards the end of the course, we had a seminar where Sarah Shakil asked a couple of questions about the usage and perception of different AI-based tools in our work and writing. Here, I will admit my prejudice towards my dear co-PhD-students. I thought that the optimism would be overflowing, and that people would break out in song praising the almighty Chat-Mini-Me. The following slide represents the actual direction of the discussion:

I came out of the class quite optimistic and inspired. One reason being that the discussion we had during the class was what I envisioned academia to be, a high tempo discussion that moved between present day realism and future dystopia, tossing and turning the different perspectives back and forth. The fact that two of our research groups’ projects are about how these new technologies affect work environment and work engagement was of course a contributing factor too (Current Research Projects – Human Technology and Organisations Research Group).

The main reason for me leaving the class optimistic was that despite people being somewhat towards the negative side, most people did admit using it regularly, yours truly included. “Hypocrites!” some might say, but to me it showed that my dear co-PhD-students are curious but skeptical, understanding the practical usefulness in the technology, but also the risks and downsides, and having people with this mindset in academia gives me hope for the future. All and all, I do share this curious skepticism. On the one hand, it is really convenient to have a grammar checker, a translator, an email diplomatizer. On the other, using texts that are completely Chat-Hihihi generated is plagiarism, and I’m getting somewhat paranoid reading anything nowadays, always suspecting an AI lurking in the shadows.

One of the final questions during the seminar was: “What role do you think AI should play in the future of scientific writing?”. While many attendees answered things like “spelling” and “rephrasing”, the most popular answer was “none”. I would encourage something in between, a certain restrained (some might say lagom) and reflective usage of these tools, with a consideration what is lost, because yes, it is convenient and perhaps more productive, and there are many other tools that makes the writing process easier, but especially for me as a PhD student, I still think the student part of it includes practicing to write properly, and the learning process is fundamental in order to form novel ideas and communicate them gracefully. At the end of the day, I just wish for once that Chat-Arrow-In-The-Knee would answer “I’m sorry, Jonathan. I’m afraid I can’t do that. You clearly need to practice in order to improve your abysmal sentence structure”.

HTO Research Group: Reflecting on an Inspiring Year – 2024

27 December 2024 /

As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on what has been a good and productive year for the HTO (Human-Technology-Organization) research group.

A Year of Ideas and Impact

This year, we published around 40 blog posts, each highlighting different aspects of our research, collaborations, and reflections. From exploring the intersection of AI and work environments to celebrating milestones like conferences and thesis defenses, our blog has been a window into the exciting journey of the HTO group in 2024.

One publication examined why patients choose to engage with their health records—or not. Alongside a review of IT tools for informal caregivers, these studies underline the real-world impact of our research, tackling challenges that resonate with people’s everyday lives.

We also celebrated a significant milestone: on September 13th, Shweta Premanandan defended her PhD thesis, Care for Caregivers: Designing IT Applications for Informal Caregivers. This achievement marked the culmination of years of dedication and a substantial contribution to the field.

Connecting and Growing Through Events

A highlight of the year was hosting NordiCHI 2024 in Uppsala, bringing together over 300 participants from across the globe. With the theme “Live – Uniting HCI for a Hyperlocal World,” this event showcased the best of human-computer interaction research and practice.

We also presented at the AHFE conference in Nice, shared findings at Gilla Jobbet in Malmö, and hosted workshops like Design Methods in Connected Health. These events allowed us to exchange ideas, forge new partnerships, and spotlight the work of our talented team.

A Creative and Collaborative Spirit

Beyond conferences and publications, we embraced opportunities to foster innovation and reflection. Karin van den Driesche’s Biomimicry for HCI workshops inspired fresh perspectives on design by exploring lessons from nature. Meanwhile, the Krusenberg Writing Retreat gave us a space to focus on research in a peaceful, inspiring environment.

We have also worked with a strategic vision for the group which resulted in HTO’s Long Term Goal:

“To cultivate a supportive and inclusive research environment that prioritizes its members’ well-being and professional development while advancing innovative, interdisciplinary research. Through collaboration, education, and outreach, we aim to generate impactful knowledge that addresses societal challenges and inspires the next generation of scholars and practitioners.”

Looking Ahead

As we look ahead to 2025, we’re glad to continue building on this momentum, tackling challenges and making meaningful contributions to the world of human-centered technology. More specifically we will organise a seminar series on writing funding applications, and launch a Scientific writing club seminar related to establishing good writings habits and skills. We will also continue with HTO lunches and other social activities.

To everyone who has read, collaborated, or supported us this year—thank you! Let’s keep the conversation going.

✨ Stay connected by following our blog, and let us know your thoughts on the year that was.

#HTOResearch #Reflections2024 #HCI #DigitalHealth #Innovation

3 arbetsmiljötips för att lyckas med digitalisering i transportbranshen

20 December 2024 /

Digitalisering är en stor möjlighet för transportbranschen, men det kräver också rätt förutsättningar för att bli framgångsrikt. I en nyligen släppt film från TYA, som är en del av TARA-projektet finansierat av AFA, delar Åsa Cajander tre värdefulla tips för att lyckas med digitalisering i branschen.

Filmen tar upp hur företag kan navigera i de utmaningar och möjligheter som digitaliseringen för med sig. Genom att följa dessa tre råd kan arbetsgivare och anställda skapa en smidigare övergång till digitala verktyg och system.

Vill du veta mer om hur digitalisering kan stärka din organisation? Kolla in filmen och låt dig inspireras

Digital competence isn’t optional in blue collar work anymore

18 December 2024 /

The digitalization of transport, logistics, and home care industries has fundamentally reshaped job demands and workplace dynamics. In my recent study; Digital competence is a must: Manager and safety representative perspectives on evolving job skills and balancing digital work environments (available here), written togheteher with Simon Asplund, Teresia Nyman, Magnus Svartengren and Therese Hellman at Uppsala University, we explored how these industries are adapting to the rapid integration of technology from a work environmental perspective.

Spoiler: Digital competence isn’t optional anymore. Whether it’s managing ICT systems or navigating a tidal wave of administrative demands, workers need to adapt—and fast. While digitalization does bring perks like improved safety and streamlined communication, it also comes with a catch. Increased traceability and packed schedules can make employees feel more like data points than people. As one transport manager put it, “They’ve been working in the same way for 10–15 years, and then someone comes in with new stuff, new technology… things they don’t really understand.”

And it’s not just about understanding new tech—it’s about having the time to learn it. One safety representative highlighted the frustration, saying, “I find it a bit disappointing that they have not provided sufficient training in these specific digital tools that we are supposed to use, such as the computers. And how they actually should be used in practice.” This disconnect between expectations and resources is a recurring theme in our findings.

The study employed a qualitative approach, featuring 24 semi-structured interviews with managers and safety representatives across 22 organizations. This methodology allowed us to gather in-depth perspectives on the challenges and opportunities posed by digitalization. Participants were drawn from industries that typically have lower educational attainment and high turnover rates, making the transition to a digitally driven environment particularly complex.

To address these challenges, organizations must invest in comprehensive employee training, allocate time for recovery within schedules, and promote transparency around system usage. Encouraging clear boundaries for technology use outside work hours is also vital to maintaining employee well-being. In industries characterized by high demands, diverse workforces, and rapid turnover, these strategies are not just beneficial—they’re critical. For a detailed look at our findings and recommendations, you can access the full study here.

Best regards

Magdalena R Stadin, PhD

You’ve done more than you think

A fem
16 December 2024 /

As the year winds down and we find ourselves in the week before the Christmas holidays, it’s natural to feel a bit overwhelmed. Many of us might be reflecting on the year gone by, caught up in thoughts of goals we didn’t quite meet or projects that remain unfinished. But pause for a moment and ask yourself—what if you’ve already done your very best? What if the sum of your efforts this year is more than enough?
Take a trip back through your calendar, revisit your old to-do lists, and reflect on your accomplishments from 2024. Big or small, each step you’ve taken contributes to the bigger picture of growth and progress. Maybe it’s a breakthrough in your research, the collaboration that sparked new ideas, the challenges you overcame, or the support you offered to colleagues. These are all achievements worth celebrating.
We often underestimate how much we contribute, not only in terms of measurable outcomes but also through the dedication, creativity, and resilience we bring to our work. So, as you wrap up the year, take a moment to acknowledge your efforts and be proud of what you’ve achieved. You deserve it!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Magdalena R Stadin, PhD

New Publication! Introducing HealthCheck: A New Method for Evaluating Persuasive Mobile Health Apps

9 December 2024 /

We’re excited to announce the publication of our latest research. HealthCheck: A Method for Evaluating Persuasive Mobile Health Applications led by Shweta Premanandan along with Åsa Cajander and Awais Ahmad from the HTO research group.

This new method addresses a crucial challenge in the fast-evolving world of mobile health (mHealth)—evaluating usability and persuasiveness in a way that aligns with agile development processes.

Published in the Health Informatics Journal, this study presents a usability evaluation method tailored for persuasive mHealth applications. Whether designed for caregivers or other health-related purposes, HealthCheck helps ensure these applications are user-friendly, effective, and engaging.

What is HealthCheck?

HealthCheck is a usability evaluation framework tailored to meet the challenges of developing persuasive mHealth applications in agile environments. Unlike traditional methods that may be resource-intensive or slow to provide feedback, HealthCheck delivers quick, actionable insights that help developers iteratively refine their applications.

What is HealthCheck About?

The method integrates established usability heuristics with principles of persuasive system design to evaluate critical aspects such as:

  • User Engagement: Ensuring that apps effectively motivate and sustain user interaction.
  • Personalization: Assessing how well apps adapt to individual user needs.
  • Usability in Agile Contexts: Supporting iterative development cycles with timely feedback.

HealthCheck also emphasizes the unique needs of informal caregivers, who often rely on such tools to manage complex caregiving tasks while balancing their own well-being.

How was HealthCheck Developed?

HealthCheck was developed using a rigorous Design Science Research (DSR) methodology. This process included:

  1. Problem Identification: Recognizing the need for a usability evaluation method suited to persuasive mHealth apps in agile contexts.
  2. Solution Design: Combining insights from existing usability and persuasive system heuristics.
  3. Implementation: Testing the method using a prototype app (AnhörigCare) designed to support informal caregivers in Sweden.
  4. Evaluation: Engaging seven experts in usability, UX, and eHealth to assess the method’s effectiveness.
  5. Reflection and Improvement: Refining the method based on expert feedback to enhance its practicality and relevance.

Tested on AnhörigCare: eCoaching application for Informal Caregivers

To demonstrate its practical application, HealthCheck was tested with AnhörigCare, an e-coaching app designed for informal caregivers in Sweden. This case study showed how HealthCheck could identify areas for improvement, such as streamlining navigation, tailoring content, and enhancing user feedback, making the app more supportive and user-friendly. This test case underscores the method’s adaptability and value for a wide range of mHealth applications, beyond caregiving.

Key Insights from the Paper

  • Effective Heuristics: The HealthCheck framework includes a set of heuristics tailored for persuasive mHealth applications, such as ensuring clear feedback mechanisms, privacy protection, and user education.
  • Expert Validation: Feedback from usability experts demonstrated the method’s ability to identify and prioritize usability issues in a structured and efficient way.
  • Iterative Feedback: HealthCheck’s design supports agile development by enabling rapid cycles of evaluation and refinement.

Why does HealthCheck Matter?

The usability of mHealth applications is pivotal to their success, especially for informal caregivers who often juggle demanding responsibilities. HealthCheck offers a structured yet flexible way to ensure these applications are user-friendly, engaging, and effective in meeting their goals. By providing tailored feedback and highlighting actionable areas for improvement, the method helps developers create tools that truly make a difference.

What’s Next?

We hope HealthCheck will become a valuable tool for researchers, developers, and designers working on persuasive mHealth applications. We’d love to hear your thoughts and how you envision using HealthCheck in your projects!

Let us know in the comments or reach out directly.

Highlights from the TARA Project’s Second Reference Group Meeting

Photo from airport showing a snake robot
4 December 2024 /

On November 5th, the TARA Project held its second reference group meeting online via Microsoft Teams. The meeting brought together participants from across the aviation industry to share updates and exchange ideas about the project’s progress.

For those unfamiliar, the TARA Project is a three-year collaboration between Uppsala University and TYA, funded by AFA Insurance. It focuses on exploring how automation, digital tools, and AI can be introduced into aviation while ensuring a safe and healthy work environment. The ultimate goal is to create practical methods that the industry can use when adopting new technologies.

Key Topics Discussed

The meeting agenda covered several important areas:

  1. Stakeholder Study
    The team shared insights from interviews with various stakeholders about the challenges and opportunities of implementing new technologies in airport operations. Discussions highlighted the importance of balancing safety, efficiency, and collaboration to ensure that these changes benefit everyone involved.
  2. Ground Staff Study
    Updates on this study focused on how new tools and systems are shaping the daily work of ground-handling staff. While new technologies can improve processes, they also come with challenges that need to be addressed to support workers effectively.
  3. Encouraging Participation in Surveys
    With an upcoming survey as part of the project, participants shared strategies for increasing response rates. Engaging with the industry and making the process straightforward for participants were some key takeaways.
  4. Looking at Global Trends
    The group explored trends in aviation technology and discussed what they might mean for the industry, from automation to sustainability. These conversations emphasized the importance of preparing for the future while keeping workplace well-being a top priority.

What’s Next?

This meeting showcased the value of open dialogue and collaboration in tackling the challenges of technology adoption in aviation. By bringing together diverse perspectives, the TARA Project aims to create tools and methods that ensure both safe and efficient integration of new technologies.

A big thank you to everyone who joined and contributed to these important discussions. We’re excited to keep building on this work and seeing where it takes us!

Blog Post: Lessons in Large-Scale EHR Implementation – A Nordic Perspective Relevant to Millennium in Västra Götalandsregionen

2 December 2024 /

As Västra Götalandsregionen (VGR) embarks on the ambitious Millennium EHR project, it’s crucial to draw lessons from past large-scale implementations. A study by Morten Hertzum, Gunnar Ellingsen, and Åsa Cajander provides invaluable insights into the challenges and outcomes of introducing the Epic electronic health record (EHR) system in Denmark and Finland. This study holds significant relevance for VGR’s journey, especially given the concerns raised about Millennium’s implementation, as highlighted in this interview.

The Nordic Experience with Epic

The study focuses on two large-scale Epic implementations:

  • Denmark: The system went live in 2016–2017 across 12 hospitals serving 2.6 million citizens.
  • Finland: Starting in 2018, Epic was rolled out in the Helsinki-Uusimaa region, integrating healthcare and social care for 1.7 million people.

Despite extensive preparation, both implementations faced persistent challenges, including usability issues, productivity dips, and unmet expectations. Five years post-implementation, 32% of Danish users remained dissatisfied, while only 9.3% of Finnish physicians felt the system improved care quality.

Key Takeaways for the Millennium Implementation

  1. Unmet Expectations: Both Danish and Finnish projects suffered from a gap between high pre-implementation hopes and post-implementation realities. The study emphasizes the importance of realistic goal-setting and proactive issue resolution.
  2. Usability Matters: Poor interface design, unclear terminology, and excessive clicks plagued users, leading to frustration. These issues were often exacerbated by attempts to fit a U.S.-centric system into a Nordic healthcare model.
  3. Long-Term Adaptation: Initial productivity dips lasted longer than anticipated, and resolving system issues required years, not months. Planning for extended adaptation is critical.
  4. Workload Redistribution: Shifting documentation tasks to physicians without adequate support led to dissatisfaction. Any similar changes in Millennium need careful consideration.
  5. Localized Customization: Balancing regional standardization with local needs is complex. Both Denmark and Finland struggled to find the right mix, leading to discontent among users.

The study underscores the importance of learning from past implementations to avoid repeating mistakes. These large implementation project must prioritize usability, realistic planning, and user-centered design to succeed where others have struggled. Transparent communication and adaptive strategies will be vital in navigating the complexities of a project of this scale.

For a deeper dive into the study, the full analysis is available in the International Journal of Medical Informatics.

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