When Praktikertjänst, one of Sweden’s largest private healthcare providers with more than 7,000 employees, transitioned from analogue workflows to a modern digital patient journey, they needed an operations partner capable of meeting both demanding technical requirements and strict data protection standards. The choice fell on Elastx.
– We handle some of society's most sensitive personal data. We want the data to be stored in Sweden and not risk ending up in a third country. That was one of the most important reasons why we chose Elastx,” says Carl-Olof Veraeus, Head of Digital Development in Healthcare at Praktikertjänst.
From analog queues to digital simplicity – with full regulatory compliance
For several years, Praktikertjänst has been driving an extensive digitization of patient flows. The goal: a simple, safe, and cohesive journey for patients, from initial contact to completed care.
- We went from physical queues and waiting on the phone to digital entry points such as chat and apps with easy login via BankID, fewer keystrokes, and a positive digital experience. It sounds obvious today, but it was a major change for a business of our size, which is heterogeneous in many ways, says Carl-Olof Veraeus.
In addition to scalability and stability, regulatory compliance was an absolute prerequisite.
- We work in accordance with the Patient Data Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, and information security. We needed a supplier who truly understood this and could, for example, guarantee local operation at Swedish data centers, he says.
The solution: Swedish cloud platform with local operation
To connect Praktikertjänst's app with the underlying technical systems, a partner with the right expertise and flexibility was required. Elastx was chosen, and for the past five years, the Praktikertjänst app has been operated by them.
- We handle large volumes of cases, but the load is not evenly distributed throughout the week or day. Sometimes there are few users, and sometimes the pressure is extremely high. That's why we needed a partner with the technical elasticity required for a national healthcare application with large variations in load. It's also important for us to know exactly where the data is located and that it never leaves Sweden. During the procurement process, Elastx met all of these requirements without compromise, which made the decision easy, says Carl-Olof Veraeus.
Carl-Olof Veraeus also highlights the simplicity of the collaboration as a major advantage, along with Elastx's genuine understanding of regulatory requirements and their deep technical expertise, which he believes has been a prerequisite for the positive results.
The result: stable operation, high uptime, and significantly increased usage
As more and more patients use digital services, the need for high operational reliability and good scalability has become even more apparent.
- With Elastx, we have been able to scale up usage easily while maintaining a very high level of stability. This makes a big difference for both patients and healthcare providers. We can continue to develop the digital patient experience without compromise and with complete confidence that sensitive patient data is being handled correctly. They also keep themselves up to date with legal requirements, the market, and best practices, helping us to always stay on the right track, which is a great reassurance, says Carl-Olof Veraeus.
