Our next big project: Vaccinations against COVID-19

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Origo has worked closely with the Directorate of Health in Iceland to conduct testing both at the Icelandic border and other health care facilities. The border screening system showed its strength when it was implemented at the Health Clinics in the Greater Reykjavik area for general testing. Before the system was implemented, the Health Clinics conducted around 200-400 COVID-19 tests per day, but with the introduction of the border system, up to 4000 tests could be conducted daily, a big increase.

The next big project for the Icelandic health care system

The next big project the Icelandic health care system faces is fast approaching: the COVID-19 vaccinations. In recent weeks, Origo has been working on developing a computer system which will handle the management of all COVID-19 vaccinations in Iceland. The system is being developed in close collaboration with the Directorate of Health, the Health Clinics in Greater Reykjavik and other health institutions in Iceland. The system is based on a previous software developed for the COVID-19 testing at the Icelandic border which is currently used for almost all COVID-19 testing in Iceland.

A powerful system that manages priority groups and automatically calls people in for vaccination via SMS messages

In developing the new system many factors had to be considered which keeps track of priority groups, among other features. The system also had to be developed in such a way that it will able to send automatic messages to call people in for vaccination as soon as vaccines arrive in Iceland. This will be accomplished by sending a bar code to an individual's personal health care page (Heilsuvera) and an SMS message inviting them to come in for vaccination. It will also be possible to call people in to different vaccination centers based on which health clinic they are registered with. The system will also call people in for their second vaccination in a similar way through Heilsuvera. Thus, Heilsuvera will continue to serve as the central communication platform for individuals' health services.

The system will enter all vaccinations in the vaccination database of the Chief Epidemiologist so that it will be possible to keep a central record of all those who receive vaccinations.

Work has already begun, since 15 December, on registering the priority groups defined by the Chief Epidemiologist and the Minister of Health into the system.

Origo's Healthcare Solutions division is also working with the Directorate of Health on compiling a list of all individuals who are at increased risk of COVID-19 based on diagnoses registered in the Saga medical records system.

Iceland in a unique position

Iceland is in a unique position due to the electronic infrastructure that has been developed for the health care system in recent years, including the Saga medical records system, Heilsuvera and the Hekla health network, which is managed and developed by Origo. This infrastructure will now enable us to vaccinate against COVID-19 in a targeted and organised manner.

About this author

Arna Harðardó[e-mail]