The Stockholm County Council set ambition to launch the first Health Impact Bond
The Stockholm County Council has signed a letter of intent with the ambition to create the first Health Impact Bond for preventative health in EU. The purpose is to share the risk and value between different actors and support the development of innovative efforts to avoid greater costs in the future. The council pays for health outcomes according to a pre-defined heath index.
Obesity, sedentary, smoking and junk high calorie food increase the risk of developing a variety of chronic welfare diseases that corresponds to a large part of the reactive healthcare costs today. In a European project called the Healthmovement, researchers and companies take a holistic view and try to help individuals with tailored interventions to promote a proper diet and exercise based on the individuals’ preferences and conditions. The public health authority in Sweden states in a recent investigation that obesity solely costs the society about 70 billion Swedish crowns each year*. There is over 100 000 people with diabetes only in Stockholm and about 10 % of Stockholm County Council’s budget goes to the care of these.
– The increase in the population of chronic disorders and the related costs are a big challenge for the society. However, it is well known that lifestyle-related diseases can be prevented. The Stockholm County Council wants to help reverse this negative trend and increase the resources on preventive individualized healthcare, says Jan Andersson Director of Innovation and Research at the Stockholm County Council
Integrated with Health care
Both the healthcare and a large number of social actors, for example the pharmacy, that citizens have contact with in everyday life are involved in the project, making it unique. The goal is that the individual should own the control of his personal data and also be able to decide if and with whom to share information with. This in turn contributes to more accurate and fact-based decisions by the healthcare and other actors. In January 2018 a proof of concept study will begin, with focus on individuals employed within Stockholm County Council och how they can be supported to reach better health.
– In order to meet the challenges we face and develop innovative and preventive efforts we need new tools where the risk and value can be shared in more optimized ways. We also want to switch focus to value and outcomes for the investments. Based on international experiences we know that a Health Impact Bond can be such tool. In turn, it creates opportunity for the Stockholm region to lead the improvement of individual’s health, says Jan Andersson at Stockholm County Council.
For further information, please contact Fredrik Söder, RISE, +46 (0)723 890090, fredrik.soder@ri.se
*https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/nyheter-och-press/nyhetsarkiv/2017/maj/nationell-kraftsamling-for-halsosamma-matvanor-och-fysisk-aktivitet-behovs/
Signed Letter of Intent SLL