The Helse Sør-Øst RHF board has selected three thematic areas for prioritisation for the 2025 call, totalling to NOK 10 million (cf. board case 027-2024). The application process for these funds will be carried out and awarded in conjunction with the process for ordinary regional research funding applications (see description of application processing in Helse Sør-Øst).
The strategic objective for the earmarked funds is to support research within specific thematic areas of particular importance to future development of the specialist healthcare services. The prioritisation is made on the basis of relevant strategic plans and steering documents for the region, e.g.:
- Regional development plan 2040 Helse Sør-Øst
- Strategy for patient safety and quality improvement Helse Sør-Øst
- Regional strategy plan for mental health care and interdisciplinary specialized drug addiction treatment
- Commissioners’ document for Helse Sør-Øst RHF 2024
At an overarching level, the Health Personnel Commission's report and the focus areas selected for the new National Health and Collaboration Plan are also supporting these prioritisations. Further, context is given by the previous thematic calls, however, for the call announced in 2024 these areas have been given an improved focus.
Project applications for prioritized funds are expected to show a clear connection to these strategic documents and should include activities within one of the prioritized areas. It is not sufficient that the thematic area is only partly included as an element in the application.
Please note! User participation is mandatory in projects within priority areas. The project manager must indicate which area the application applies to by selecting the correct option in the application form.
In this call for proposals, the following thematic areas are prioritized:
Quality improvement and patient safety
Prioritising research within “quality improvement and patient safety” includes research with the aim of increasing the knowledge base on quality and safety for health services to hinder patients from being exposed to unnecessary risk or harm as a result of diagnostics, treatment and follow-up. User experiences and good, relevant patient data are central sources of information for research projects in this area.
There is a need for increased research activity both for the evaluation and further development of patient logistics and workflows, particularly related to collaborations with primary care services, unwanted variation, women's health and specific conditions such as ME/CFS and long-covid. The prioritisation also includes the need to strengthen the knowledge base within health competency related to minority language patient groups, migration health and patients with cognitive impairment. There is also a need for research aimed at transitions in the health service, such as between levels/departments, child/adult transition, etc.
The prioritised area is particularly relevant for applications focussing on health service research, but also for research in mental health/addiction.
Decentralised services and seamless patient logistics
It has been emphasised in various strategy documents that future health services must be adapted to a more decentralised service structure, i.e. an organisation where patients more often receive health care at home or in their immediate communities, e.g. through digital or ambulatory/outpatient services. This research area therefore includes research questions related to the use of new digital solutions, e.g. reducing the need for healthcare personnel and research related to user-controlled polyclinics. The area also includes decentralised services for research, such as clinical trials with decentralised patient inclusion.
Health Sør-Øst RHF has funded a research network within decentralised clinical trials following a call for proposals in 2023, and projects within this prioritised area can advantageously utilise or link to this network. The patient groups mentioned under section 1 are otherwise referred to.
Digitalisation
The regional development plan 2040 and the Health Personnel Commission's report point to a need for implementing new technological solutions to ensure a sustainable health service for the future. Research into new technology and innovative, data-driven work processes to drive efficiency and to save personnel resources is necessary to establish a knowledge base for the further development of high-quality health services. Various home-based solutions, welfare technology and sensors provide the opportunity for extended follow-up and active participation from the patients themselves.
The area "Digitalisation" can also include research into new digital services, including implementation research and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in the specialist healthcare service. Within this prioritised area, it is also possible to apply for prioritised research funding for projects that make use of large-scale health data.
Read the announcement of research funding from Helse Sør-Øst RHF for 2025.