Smart Care Lab

Why we launched the "Smart Care Lab" Project

The implementation of health technology is complex. It requires coordination across a wide range of stakeholders—from general practitioners, hospitals, and municipalities to suppliers, research environments, and government bodies. New solutions must be tested, adapted, and integrated into already strained services. Still, we often see small-scale pilots rather than full-scale implementations, making the journey from idea to real-world use challenging.

For health technology to contribute to a sustainable healthcare system, we must develop and adopt new ways of delivering services. But technological possibilities alone are not enough—it also demands insight into needs, usage, infrastructure, regulations, and change management. This is where Smart Care Lab plays a vital role.

What does Smart Care Lab do?

Smart Care Lab provides structured testing, verification, and advisory services for stakeholders developing or implementing new health technologies. We help accelerate the development, adaptation, and adoption of solutions—ensuring documented impact and value.

We aim to be a national hub for the development and validation of health technology. Smart Care Lab serves as a bridge between suppliers, end-users, and the health and care services. We offer both lab-based and real-world testing with users, healthcare professionals, and expert communities.

Smart Care Lab – Structured Testing and Validation of Health Technology

Smart Care Lab offers tailored methodology and service packages for the verification of products, prototypes, and early-stage health technology concepts. Our services help accelerate development, reduce risk, and support faster commercialization.

Through this project, we have developed our own methodology and best practices for the development and testing of health solutions in a Norwegian context. Below is an overview of our approach:

Phase 1: Idea & Needs Assessment

We test early-stage ideas against real needs and users. This provides valuable insight into market potential and willingness to pay—before investing heavily in development.

Smart Care Lab supports with:

• Insights into healthcare system needs and structure
• Market dialogue and willingness-to-pay analysis
• Recruitment of relevant user testers

Phase 2: Development

We assist companies in developing and testing prototypes that can demonstrate the concept to users. We facilitate dialogue and user involvement throughout the development process.

Phase 3: Pilot Testing

As the product nears completion, we run targeted pilot tests to validate effectiveness, usability, and value—ensuring the solution is ready for larger-scale deployment.

Phase 4: Certification

We help companies navigate regulatory requirements, including medical device classification, data privacy, cybersecurity, and technical standards.

Phase 5: Implementation

Adopting new health technologies in the public sector is complex. We simulate real-life service pathways, training, and operations with end-users and healthcare personnel—helping companies optimize implementation strategies, training materials, and product usability.