Personalized health services (PERSONFORSK)

At PERSONFORSK, we research innovation and personalization of health services toward optimal understanding, user participation and effectiveness. We approach health service research from a human-centered, relational, and data-driven perspective.

Health service consumption involves human beings meeting with professionals to receive help with a health concern. Successful health service consumption leads to improved individual health and overall quality of life. Success is contingent on whether the individual’s health issue and health context are sufficiently understood. Quality understanding emerges when patients and professionals safely and effectively communicate about health and needs in relational as well as technology-supported processes.

PERSONFORSK is built on a foundational tenet: Health service research should contribute to dismantling the artificial divide between mental and physical health, engaging the whole person throughout their healthcare journey. By 'the whole person,' we mean considering the aspects that contribute to illness or health problems, as well as those that contribute to their overall health and resources.

Every individual receiving healthcare services exists within a dynamic balance of both. Sustainable health services invite and involve resources and the concerns of the individual patient to participate and contribute to treatment processes.

Therefore, PERSONFORSK has a special focus on developing and implementing projects that study how the treatment relationship/collaborative process between a healthcare provider and a patient contribute to personalization, quality, utility, and/or the effectiveness of the treatment. Additionally, PERSONFORSK develops technologies and research projects to innovate personalized health data collection from the patient to guide treatment decisions and process toward precision.

PERSONFORSK is committed to employing advanced mixed methods in our research. We integrate diverse research approaches to deepen our understanding, particularly within participatory action research structures, in committed collaboration with practice. Our methodology involves using qualitative in-depth methods either independently or in conjunction with advanced quantitative methods, ensuring reliable data interpretations for each individual patient.

Members of the research group teach and supervise in the PhD program Health, Function and Participation, as well as in the Master in Interaction and Public Health, Master in Clinical Physiotherapy, and Master's programs in nursing.

Research projects

Networks

Research network for mental health, inclusive participation and engagement. The main goal of the network is to build a strong national network that enhances coordination, collaboration, and international mobilization within research on mental health, social participation, and sustainable public health.

The network aims to strengthen collaboration between complementary research environments, promote methodological development and knowledge sharing, and build capacity for international collaboration and project leadership. Funding: The Research Council of Norway.

Research network for mental health, inclusive participation and engagement (REACH) (Nasjonalt vitenarkiv)

International Network for Psychotherapy Innovations and Research into Effectiveness. INSPIRE focuses on the development, implementation, and research of feedback systems in mental health services.

Through theoretical work and empirical research, the network develops knowledge about how health and illness are experienced and given meaning by patients and relatives, as well as methodological issues in phenomenologically oriented health research.

Skandinavisk netværk for fænomenologiske helsefaglige forskere

The aim is to strengthen collaboration between quality of life researchers and further develop this field across disciplines and institutions nationally.

Livsforsk

Aims to promote understanding of obesity and obesity-related diseases through research, education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and dissemination of knowledge. The network works to improve the health and quality of life of people living with obesity in Norway.

NFF.NO

Research group leader

Christian Moltu

Professor

Deputy leader

Personalized health services (PERSONFORSK)

Research projects

Links

Networks

Research group leader

Christian Moltu

Deputy leader

Eli Natvik

Research coordinator

Members

National and regional partners

International partners