helseplanlegging

Helseplanlegging (health planning) is the systematic process of organizing health services to meet the health needs of a population. It combines assessment of current and anticipated needs with the design, delivery, and management of services. The aim is to improve access, quality, equity, and efficiency by aligning resources with priority areas and periods of demand, while considering financial and workforce constraints.

Core activities include needs assessment, demand forecasting, capacity planning, workforce planning, budgeting, service design, and governance. Stakeholders such as patients, health professionals, municipalities, and regional authorities participate in setting priorities and evaluating outcomes. Methods used include epidemiological analysis, data analytics, health technology assessment, scenario planning, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation against performance indicators.

In Norway, helseplanlegging is carried out at national, regional, and municipal levels within the framework of national health policy. It aims to ensure sustainable provision of hospital services, primary care, preventive programmes, and digital health, with attention to equity and accessibility. Common challenges include data quality, aging populations, rising burden of chronic disease, and the need to balance innovation with resource constraints. Effective helseplanlegging relies on coherent governance, coordination across levels of care, and regular updates to plans as circumstances and evidence evolve.