Digitalization of Healthcare for Heart Failure Patients: An Analysis ofthe Opportunities and Restrictions in the Implementation of Self-Monitoring Systems for Heart Failure Patients in Sweden

Abstract: The Swedish government and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, cametogether on a vision that Sweden will be the most advanced country in offering opportunities fordigitalization and e-health by the year of 2025. Self-monitoring is one aspect that can digitizeworkflow in healthcare. This master thesis sought to investigate the opportunities and restrictions when implementingself-monitoring for heart failure patients in Swedish healthcare. Starting from the holisticperspective as an analysis of the clinician’s interest and the need for self-monitoring systemsby conducting a mixed method approach. Surveys were sent out to different county councilsin Sweden working with heart failure patients, and interviews were conducted withrepresentatives from primary care, specialist care, and advanced home health care. Secondly,interviews were conducted with stakeholders from the field of implementation in order togather qualitative results on the organizational, legal, and technical influencing factors,challenges, and requirements in Swedish healthcare. The qualitative data were processedthrough thematic analysis and the quantitative data was processed through descriptive analysis. The results gathered from clinicians consisted of three areas regarding functionality demandsin self-monitoring systems. The results gathered in the aspect of implementation consisted ofthree main organizational influencing aspects, three solution models from a legal perspective,as well as three aspects related in the field of technology and IT.