Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Novo Nordisk Digital
Novo Nordisk Digital
QUARTERLY
No. 2 · 2017
INSTALLING
DIGITAL IN PHARMA
LOADING...
TBL Quarterly 2
IN THIS
ISSUE
4
Going digital is about future proofing
Vincent Turgis, Senior Vice President of Corporate IT in Novo
Nordisk, explains why digitalisation can be an enabler for
long-term value creation and how he encourages colleagues
to take the bigger perspective.
6
The snowballing digitalisation of healthcare has brought
with it a proliferation of partnerships. While company
sector and sizes might be different, success is made
possible by keeping the purpose of collaboration front
of mind.
8
Digital health is not a free lunch
A team of anthropologists travelled to the US to take
a closer look at digital health solutions. What they
uncovered was that much more than health data is
being shared in the digital ecosystem.
10
– Three views on digital, business and society
How can digitalisation enable businesses to have
a more positive impact on society going forward?
And what are the potential negative impacts?
Read three perspectives here.
14
Mobilising patient peer support
Health social networking is on the rise, helping people
living with chronic diseases to connect, offer support,
and learn from one another. Read the story of patient
entrepreneur Brianna Wolin.
TBL Quarterly 3
TBL is short for Triple Bottom Line. The Triple Bottom Line is how we at Novo Nordisk
consider the financial, environmental and social impact of our business decisions. In each
issue of TBL Quarterly, we bring you stories of what TBL looks like in the real world.
QUARTERLY
17
What’s next in tech?
Digital technology trends move at a very high pace,
continuously providing new opportunities for patients
and businesses. So what’s “the next big thing”?
Digital health:
18
going beyond pilots
Digital technologies are rapidly expanding health
coverage in low-resource settings. Still, more is
needed to truly reach scale. Novartis and PATH share
experiences from actions on the ground.
20
People driving sustainability
22
Working with IT security is a
balancing act
As Vice President of IT Security & Quality, Lars Falch
is responsible for keeping Novo Nordisk safe from
cybercrime and other IT risks. In this Q&A, he shares
what a typical day on the job looks like.
Vincent Turgis is Senior Vice President of
Corporate IT in Novo Nordisk
GOING DIGITAL
IS ABOUT FUTURE
PROOFING
Vincent Turgis, Senior Vice In my 20+ years of experience within Nordisk’s operations are effective,
President of Corporate IT IT, I have often thought of this story. secure, stable and reliable and to
in Novo Nordisk, explains why It describes three people doing exactly develop digital solutions that provide
digitalisation can be an enabler the same job but with very different value to the millions of people who
for long-term value creation and attitudes – and although it’s an old are living with diabetes and other
how he encourages colleagues to story, I think its message continues to chronic conditions and who rely on
take the bigger perspective. be relevant today. us every day.
A man came upon a construction site In my job heading up Corporate IT in I also like to think that digitalisation is
where three people were working. Novo Nordisk, I encourage myself and about future proofing our business.
He asked the first, “What are you my colleagues to think beyond the Both because it can be a way to
doing?” and the man replied: “I am tactical “brick laying” part of our jobs increase the treatment benefits of our
laying bricks.” He asked the second, and take the bigger perspective. products and because it can enable us
“What are you doing?” and the man to work smarter and more efficiently
replied: “I am building a wall.” As he Our day-to-day tasks might be about and effectively.
approached the third, he heard him operating systems, servers and
humming a tune as he worked, and applications but at a higher level, This thinking is very much in line
asked, “What are you doing?” The the cathedral level, our job is about with Novo Nordisk’s Triple Bottom
man stood, looked up at the sky, and creating global IT solutions and Line (TBL) business principle – our
smiled, “I am building a cathedral!” processes to ensure that Novo way of balancing financial, social
and environmental considerations in
decision-making – which we consider
a prerequisite for creating long-
term value. I am therefore happy
that this issue of TBL Quarterly will
Many people think that working look at digitalisation from a TBL
lens, focusing on its financial, social
with digital solutions is only about and environmental implications
and highlighting both benefits and
technology, but actually it’s all challenges.
about people.”
It’s about people used to develop new tools for people for collaborating and recruiting
Many people think that working with diabetes. But in the pursuit of across borders. On top of that, digital
with digital solutions is only about new digital solutions, we must not lose solutions can also help our company
technology, but actually it’s all about sight of what drives human behaviour reduce its environmental impact, for
people. The formula is quite simple and where digital may also fail to example by reducing travel.
– digital solutions are only successful drive better patient outcomes. At the
when they benefit the user. same time, we must be ready to safely However, the digital way of working
store, protect and use health data as also exposes us to risks such as
Take the example of digital health well as derive insights from this huge cybercrime. Breaches of security could
which covers health offerings that amount of information. Just to put have a severe impact on patients’ or
use insights gained through digital into perspective, by 2020, healthcare other individuals’ privacy as well as
technologies to address unmet needs data is forecast to be equivalent to the our ability to produce and safeguard
of patients, healthcare professionals contents of 500bn filing cabinets.1 product quality. This means that we
and payers. This holds great of course invest heavily in information
potential because it can improve Reshaping the way we work security.
health outcomes by offering more I have been in Novo Nordisk since
personalised, accessible and intelligent 2001 and during those years, the With all of this in mind, I feel confident
care. It can connect different actors company has grown extremely fast that every brick we lay in the digital
in the healthcare ecosystem in new and become a global organisation. sphere contributes to prepare our
ways and across borders. IT has played – and is still playing – a business for the future and create
key role in supporting our growth by positive impact for people in the real
As a healthcare company, we must implementing global solutions and world every day.
be ready to develop new offerings processes that meet our business
that leverage the potential of digital needs. Across Novo Nordisk, we have I hope you will enjoy the (online)
technology. And acknowledge that created a truly global IT organisation reading.
we need to partner up with others with all the challenges and
who have the needed capabilities if we opportunities that this has to offer. Vincent Turgis
want to play in this space. In this issue, Senior Vice President, Corporate IT
you can read about how Novo Nordisk There is no doubt that IT has changed Novo Nordisk
has partnered up with Glooko and the way we work and mainly in a Twitter: @VincentTurgis
IBM Watson to generate data leading positive way as it enables us to work
to valuable health insights that can be smarter and opens up for new ways
1) Bigger data for better healthcare, Intel, 2013.
WHEN
CULTURES
COLLIDE
The role of shared purpose in fuelling
the digital health revolution
Text: Adam Pittard
About Glooko
Glooko is the leading remote patient
monitoring platform for diabetes.
Glooko syncs with over 160 diabetes
devices and major fitness and activ-
ity trackers and enables patients to
easily track and proactively manage all
aspects of their diabetes care. Over 1
million people with diabetes and 6,000
health systems in 27 countries use
Glooko’s FDA-cleared, HIPAA-
compliant Mobile, Population Health
and Clinic Upload applications with
an aim to improve health outcomes
for people with diabetes. Glooko is
collaborating with Novo Nordisk to
develop digital diabetes management
solutions.
1) The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an executive non-departmental public body of Department of Health in the UK. NICE provides national guidance and advice
to improve health and social care.
2) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a federal agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services. Among other things, the FDA is responsible for protecting the public
health by ensuring that human and veterinary drugs, and vaccines and other biological products and medical devices intended for human use are safe and effective.
DIGITAL HEALTH
IS NOT A FREE LUNCH
Text: Scott Dille
1) The Gift Exchange Theory was developed by the French anthropologist Marcel Mauss and has had a great impact on anthropology and the social science in general. The theory origins from studies of
primitive societies in Polynesia, Melanesia and North America exploring how the economies in these societies are established and maintained by different exchanges without economic institutions or
money being involved. The logic behind the Gift Exchange Theory is based on three obligations: the obligation to give, the obligation to receive and the obligation to reciprocate.
“The exchange relation breaks down if me as whole person and to support me According to Geert Reyniers, Vice
the doctor gives back discouragement in my efforts to make a difference, not President of Digital Health at Novo
in the format of raised fingers, blame, only to see and treat me as a body.” Nordisk, anthropologists are making
punishment or accusations,” says Eva. a key contribution to the development
To fix the broken link in the exchange, of digital health solutions for people
Eva points to some digital health Eva and Kirsten point to solutions that with diabetes.
solutions that work, citing Endomondo return more empathy and individuality,
and Fitbit as examples of people thereby creating value and support “Insight into the everyday lives of
sharing data and finding satisfaction in that can maintain a balance in the data people with diabetes is critical as we
sharing their successes. exchange relationship. work towards the delivery of digital
solutions to support their health,”
“There is a very recent example from “Solutions that fail to support and Geert explains. “If what we develop
diabetes that, though not perfect, maintain a balance will be short lived,” is not user-friendly, intuitive and
does align with theory,” says Eva. “A says Eva. “There are no such things as reflective of the lived experience of
patient was using an app that pays gifts totally ‘free of charges’. All gift the end user, they simply won’t be
real money to log his food, do his exchanges involve the obligation to motivated to engage with it. The
exercise, etc. The funny thing about give, to receive and to give back.” work of our anthropologist colleagues
this example is that he has found a will ensure that the potential of our
good enough reason to share his diet Kevin makes the case fairly simple. digital technologies are realised to the
data, but he doesn’t necessarily care “If there is a logical reason to share maximum in the future provision of
what he is eating.” data – I would. Give me a good diabetes care.”
enough reason.”
Finding the right balance Curious to know more? Contact Eva
Shelton living in San Francisco, defined For the future of digital health, Eva and Kirsten on evtv@novonordisk.com
what kind of value he would like to and Kirsten’s research offers priceless and kiel@novonordisk.com
receive during one of Eva and Kirsten’s food for thought.
interviews. “I need my doctor to see
The ecosystem
of data exchange
THE HORIZON
– Three views on digital, business and society
on society going forward?
Justin Keeble
Managing Director, Sustainability, The rise of data-driven business models and increasing
Trust and Digital responsibility, sophistication of technology has the potential to
erode trust especially where companies have access to
Europe, Africa & Latin America at
increasing volumes of patient data and move towards
Accenture Strategy more personalised, tailored health services.
What would be your best advice to What are some of the negative impacts that
business leaders when it comes to the digitalisation may have going forward?
digital transformation?
With all the new benefits come new risks. The “gig
My advice is to embrace digital technology but economy” and the growth in temporary work will
with your eyes wide open. The power of data and require new labour protections. Big data is growing at
automation comes with huge benefit but also the need an exponential rate and will largely sit in private hands.
for new responsibilities. Now is the time to educate Algorithms and machine to machine communication
yourself about the nature of these responsibilities increasingly take much decision-making out of human
– fundamentally how to put the human rights of hands.
patients and wider populations at the centre of the
analysis. Ensure that the appropriate policies and The first risk is data privacy. Businesses will increasingly
procedures are firmly in place, with adequate collect personal information about us all. We might
governance and oversight. consent to hand over information about our DNA to a
pharmaceutical or cosmetics company in exchange for a
There is also no need to face these challenges alone: bespoke product but is this really informed consent?
bring around your business peers from your industry,
experts and societal actors to ensure that human rights A second concern is discrimination. We already know
due diligence becomes the standard in every market. from apps used by landlords or the “Black Lives Matter”
campaign in the USA that algorithms are not neutral
but can discriminate against minorities that are already
marginalised.
It’s a journey that will What would be your best advice to business
not be completed leaders when it comes to the digital
overnight but one that transformation?
holds great potential.”
Anne Birk Østerskov Think beyond patents. Make sure to enter into strategic
Senior International Medical Manager alliances early on. Consider this a new way to improve
working in Novo Nordisk’s Insulin & your company’s capabilities and minimise the risk of
Digital Health team getting disrupted by others.
MOBILISING PATIENT
PEER SUPPORT
Text: Mike Dalzell
Health social networking is which sponsors events, meetup of Brianna. Frustrated by what she
on the rise, helping people groups, and educational opportunities; perceived as a lack of emotional
living with chronic diseases to and RareConnect, which helps and simple, strict nutritional support
people with more than 100 rare on campus (Brianna also lives with
connect, offer support, and diseases worldwide develop online Celiac disease, food allergies and
learn from one another. communities. food intolerances), Brianna and fellow
Michigan alum Parisa Soraya tested
Brianna Wolin naturally attracts people Some sites also serve a scientific a beta of Find Your Ditto on campus.
with her ambition, eloquence, and purpose. Patientslikeme encourages More than 100 students signed up,
thousand-watt smile. And yet, Brianna, its 500,000 members to “donate each seeking connection with another
a 2016 University of Michigan graduate your data” to researchers, healthcare student living with the same chronic
who lives with type 1 diabetes, had professionals, and industry. Recognising illness. More than 90% were matched,
had times when she felt so alone. that academic publication is a very and 98% of those wanted another
slow process, patientslikeme shares meeting after the first.
“With a campus swarming with patient-reported outcomes about
40,000 students, I couldn’t find one symptoms, therapies, and treatments The response hinted at the app’s
who could look me in the eye and tell to accelerate the pace of care commercial potential, and Find Your
me that they knew what it was like to improvements. Ditto – which Inc. magazine labeled
have a hypo episode during an exam as one of this year’s “coolest college
or talk to an awkward first date about Brianna’s story startups” – was born. Today, Brianna,
what that tube was that you pulled out Often, these digital-connection Find Your Ditto’s CEO, and Parisa, its
of your pocket,” she said. ventures are borne out of firsthand Chief Product Officer, crisscross the
experiences and needs, like those world, pitching Find Your Ditto to
So the then biomedical engineering
student took matters into her own
hands, creating a mobile app that
connects college students who share
chronic conditions. The app, called Brianna presenting at the
Find Your Ditto, facilitates on-demand, Lyfebulb-Novo Nordisk
in-person peer support. “Nobody has Innovation Award 2016
to be alone,” she says.
potential sources of seed funding. The connect directly with one another also As with many things, it comes down to
two are also establishing partnerships receive the kind of social support that common sense. Technology provides
with healthcare institutions, many enables adherence to a goal. an opportunity – we have to use it
of which Brianna says struggle with wisely.
providing for mental health concerns But health social networking is not
of chronic illness patients. immune from some of the pitfalls For pure support purposes, the digital
inherent in online communities. The world is forever changing the ways in
“I want to be that entrepreneur who founders of patientslikeme observed which patients connect, inspire and be
gives back and makes that impact that that when patients receive advice inspired by others, and be empowered
I’ve always wanted to see come to from other patients, they treat it to live with chronic onditions. That’s
me,” says Brianna. differently3 than if it were coming from what motivates Brianna, who says,
a healthcare professional. Patients trust “You should be able to look someone
Brianna recently won the first their peers. in the eye and say, ‘Me too. I get it.
Lyfebulb–Novo Nordisk Innovation Ditto,’ give them a hug, have a cup of
Award, presented to patient And that may open avenues for coffee, and get on with your day.”
entrepreneurs for the best medical misinformation to spread.4 Continued
device, consumer product, or belief among some parent groups
healthcare IT product that supports in the now-debunked theory linking
diabetes management. Novo Nordisk vaccines to autism is a classic real-
sponsors the award competition in world example. A hypothetical example
conjunction with Lyfebulb, which may involve a patient with diabetes
bridges patients with industry and who abandons a medication that had
empowers patient entrepreneurs. successfully controlled HbA1c in favor
The award was given to Brianna of an herbal regimen, claims a miracle
after finalist pitches before a panel cure, and gains followers as a result.
in Copenhagen last December, and You should be
represented the first time a large The US Food and Drug Administration
pharmaceutical company had engaged warns5 that testimonials like “it cured able to look
directly with patient entrepreneurs. my diabetes” should be a red flag.
Health-product scams dominate social someone in the
Engagement and pitfalls media, with followings on Facebook
A study found that people involved and Twitter. The problem gives greater eye and say,
in health social networking are highly visibility to an underappreciated issue:
engaged – a good thing, since patient health literacy, specifically the ability ‘Me too. I get it.
engagement often leads to better of people to critically evaluate claims
health outcomes.2 Patients who about health products. Ditto.’”
1) Pew Research Center: The social life of health information. Available at:
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/01/15/the-social-life-of-health-information/
2) Health Affairs: What The Evidence Shows About Patient Activation: Better Health Outcomes And Care Experiences; Fewer Data
On Costs. Available at: http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/32/2/207.full
3) H ealth Affairs blog: The Patient Engagement Pill: Lessons From Epilepsy. Available at:
http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2013/02/07/the-patient-engagement-pill-lessons-from-epilepsy/
4) S ee for example: KevinMD.com: If you think fake news is bad for politics, you should try being a physician. Available at:
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2017/01/think-fake-news-bad-politics-try-physician.html
5) F DA: 6 Tip-offs to Rip-offs: Don’t Fall for Health Fraud Scams. Available at:
https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm341344.htm
Click to watch:
http://video.novonordisk.com/photo/17661250
TBL Quarterly 16
Digitalisation can help companies work on reducing CO2 emissions from its own telepresence and encourage its use by
smarter – can it also help them reduce operations. More recently, the company offering continuous training and support.
their environmental footprint? Two has widened its scope to also encompass
examples show that the answer may indirect emissions such as business “We are continuously supporting
not necessarily be straightforward. travel. But how to reduce travel in a the demand for virtual collaboration
global company with affiliate offices in 77 platforms,” says Susanne Kany, Manager,
When the meeting goes virtual countries and production sites spread out Client Services in Corporate IT, Novo
For the past decade, the main focus of on five continents? Nordisk. “We are offering training in
Novo Nordisk’s climate action has been these platforms and run various campaigns
First of all, there needs to be some for users to get acquainted with them
well-functioning alternatives in place. along with extensive support and quick
Therefore, a key priority for the Corporate guides.”
IT department has been to implement
virtual meeting platforms like Skype for Susanne notes that in 2016, Skype for
Business, video conferencing (VCON) and Business meetings increased by 25%,
The company now has 350 VCON systems
and five state-of-the-art telepresence
facilities around the world which are open
to all employees. The use of telepresence
as an alternative to face-to-face meetings
has increased by 128% compared to
last year.
When the device goes digital believes connected devices offer great are considering different ways to reduce
Many people with diabetes use injection potential to improve treatment options the environmental impact of connected
pens for the delivery of insulin and like for patients in the future because it will devices, for example by taking a closer look
most other devices in our everyday lives, become easier to support patients in at the choice of batteries.
they are also becoming digitally connected. injecting the right amount of insulin and
identify potential issues with adherence. Novo Nordisk’s commitment to 100%
With a built-in electronic component However, he also acknowledges the renewable energy at all production
– similar to the technology used in potential environmental downside. sites also contributes to reducing the
contactless credit cards and mobile phones environmental impact of connected
– the injection pen can be connected to “Adding electronic components in devices devices.
e.g. a smartphone. This can give healthcare obviously requires more resources to
professionals the information they need to produce and poses an additional challenge “In the device R&D process, our primary
‘fill in the blanks’ between their patients’ when it comes to disposal and waste,” focus will always be on improving the
clinic visits as the connected device stores he notes. patient benefit,” says Thomas. “But this
the dosage data and time of injection doesn’t mean that we are not also
every time the patient injects insulin. Thomas explains that Novo Nordisk already concerned about the environmental
has environmental criteria integrated aspect.”
Novo Nordisk recently launched its first into its device R&D processes. It means
connected pen as a pilot in Sweden and that the company must choose materials
more connected pens are in the pipeline, with the best environmental profile as
according to Thomas Miller, Vice President, long as it doesn’t compromise patient 1) Novo Nordisk corporate travellers’ well-being survey, 2012
US Device Research, Novo Nordisk. He safety or functionality. He and his team (internal data on file).
TBL Quarterly 17
WHAT’S NEXT
IN TECH?
Text: Jakob Ibsen Jensen
Digital technology trends move at a emerging digital technologies that Novo understands complex questions posed in
very high pace, continuously providing Nordisk Corporate IT follows closely and natural language, proposes evidence-based
new opportunities for patients and explores to meet the patient and business answers, and learns from each interaction.
business. So what’s “the next big needs of tomorrow.
thing”?
Introducing intelligent systems
Many technologies that were almost Cognitive Computing is the term used for
science fiction a couple of years back software or systems designed to mimic the Programmatic computing vs.
have become an integral part of today’s functioning of the human brain – enabling cognitive computing
work and life, without us even noticing it. them to “learn” and adapt as information
changes, and as goals and requirements
Connected mobile devices enable evolve. Programmatic computing:
patients to constantly monitor their • Leverage traditional data sources
health while sharing the outcomes with In a healthcare context, this is extremely • Follow pre-defined rules
health care practitioners. Sophisticated interesting to better understand and utilise (programs)
virtual collaboration tools provide us with the vast amount of data generated from • Provide the same output to all
the feeling of being in the same room as e.g. apps and fitness trackers. users
colleagues sitting on the other side of
the globe. “By using cognitive technologies, we Characteristics of cognitive
can create revolutionary new tools for computing:
These are just a few examples of digital people living with diabetes,” says Thomas
technologies that went from being Angelius, vice president, Digital Health IT, • Taught, not programmed
emerging trends to being key elements Novo Nordisk. “They can speak in natural • Learn and improve based on
of our everyday lives within a very short language and get individualised support. experience
period of time. The potential is big and the work is really • Interpret sensory and non-
exciting.” traditional data
But what’s the next big thing – the • Relate to each of us as individuals
emerging digital technology of today that To unleash the potential in cognitive • Allow us to expand and scale our
will shape the way we do business, work computing, Novo Nordisk has partnered own thinking
and live tomorrow? with IBM Watson – the first commercially • Allow us to pose questions and
available cognitive computing platform. receive answers
Cognitive Computing and Robotic Process The platform processes vast amounts of
Automation (RPA) are two examples of big data to uncover patterns and insights,
GOING BEYOND
and that are adaptable in multiple
contexts,” says Lesley-Anne. “By doing
this, health workers, for example,
have more holistic information about
PILOTS
patients and health sector managers at
all levels spend less time aggregating
and reporting data because there is
one standard tool – as opposed to
Text: Camilla Crone Jensen
dozens – being used.”
Digital technologies are rapidly A serious case of “pilotitis” Taking ‘SMS for Life’ to the
expanding health coverage in According Lesley-Anne Long, next level
low-resource settings. From Director of a collaborative new digital Marcel Braun works in Novartis and
strengthening people’s access health initiative housed at PATH5 with many years of experience within
to care to increasing efficiencies and supported by USAID, FSG and development assistance, he knows very
in healthcare delivery, digital other partners, the digital health well the challenges of implementing
technologies have shown great
landscape is plagued by “pilotitis”. sustainable digital health solutions on
potential. Still, more is needed to
truly reach scale. Initiatives are too often implemented the ground.
as individual solutions, rather than part
Much of the progress within digital of an integrated national strategy to “The biggest challenge around
health1 is thanks to the mobile phone. strengthen health systems with digital implementing digital health solutions
In just over a decade, mobile-cellular technology. This means that projects in low-resource settings is ownership,”
subscriptions have outpaced internet rarely reach scale. he says via a mobile phone connection
access substantially throughout Africa. while traveling in Nigeria. “I believe
In 2005, mobile subscription rates “Short-term projects that typically are the owner of the solution must always
were approximately 12%, and only not designed for national level use be the local healthcare authorities and
1% had internet access in their home. have led to a graveyard of digital tools, Novartis should only be an enabler.”
By 2015, mobile subscriptions had products and systems that are left
reached 73% while home internet behind once a project ends,” she says. Marcel is the Programme Head for
access was slightly above 10%.2 “To respond to this challenge, we need Novartis’ ‘SMS for Life 2.0’ which was
to think at more of a system level and launched in Nigeria in 2016. It aims
In the past five years, the number of align investments behind one digital to increase the availability of essential
digital health products and services has health “solution” that connects all the medicines and improve care for
doubled in in low- and middle-income others together and is fundamental to patients by using simple, available, and
countries.3 But a large number of these treating and managing each and every affordable technology. The programme
remain in pilot or informal stages.4 disease: an overarching digital health is a joint public-private partnership
It seems that more than the mobile architecture.” between Novartis, the Kaduna State
phone is needed. Ministry of Health and Vodacom.
TBL Quarterly 19
‘SMS for Life 2.0’ builds on the ‘SMS on with the programme after Novartis According to Marcel, there has been
for Life’ programme launched by has pulled out, typically 2-3 years after a considerable change in mind-set in
Novartis in 2009, which used cell launch,” says Marcel. This is also why recent years. “For a long time, NGOs and
phones to manage stock-outs of Novartis has chosen to focus on fewer the public sector had reservations about
malaria medicines in more than countries but where the programme is collaborating with the private sector but
10,000 healthcare facilities in likely to reach larger scale. today there is much more appreciation
sub-Saharan countries. and acknowledgement of each actor’s
A change in mind-set strength. Collaboration between
The new programme will use Despite the challenges with the private, public and third sector is
smartphones and tablet computers implementing digital health solutions, not an exception anymore,” he says.
to address key operational challenges Lesley-Anne hopes to respond
at peripheral healthcare facilities in to the associated challenge by “In the long run, companies now see
Kaduna State. Local healthcare workers providing a mechanism that enhances digital health initiatives in low- and
will be able to track stock levels coordination and therefore, efficiency middle-income countries as business
of essential antimalarial medicine, of investments. She believes that the opportunities and not just philanthopic
vaccines and HIV treatments, and send new initiative can help to promote engagement, hence making it more
notifications to district medical officers investments into technologies that can sustainably embedded in their
when stock levels are low. be reused, adapted, and integrated operations.”
into national digital health systems.”6
The programme will also monitor And while these initiatives seek to
surveillance parameters of malaria, And the private sector plays an tackle enormous challenges, their
maternal and infant deaths and seven important role. “‘Engage the private long-term potential is significant.
other diseases. In addition, ‘SMS sector!’ is a common charge in
for Life 2.0’ will enable training of development circles these days, and “Just look at the African continent
healthcare workers in local facilities there’s a reason for that,” she says. which today is home to 1.2 billion
using on-demand eLearning modules. “The private sector is fundamental people but this is expected to double
to long-term success in global digital by 2050.7 A lack of well-trained health
Most importantly, the programme health, and not just as an important workers to provide quality healhcare is
is in line with local health priorities financier of digital technology already predictable and new solutions
of Nigeria. “We spend a lot of time solutions. They can be critical thought need to be developed. Here, digital
aligning expectations with local partners and strategic advisors.” health initiatives have a huge potential
partners and we only collaborate – if they are well coordinated,” he adds.
where there is a willingness to carry
PUBLIC PRIVATE
1) Digital health encompasses technologies that enable better collection and sharing of information, improved quality and reach of health service delivery, and better decision-making by governments, health
workers, and individuals. 2) ITU. Key ICT indicators for developed and developing countries and the world (totals and penetration rates), 2015. 3) GSMA, The Mobile Economy 2015. 4) Wilson, K., Gertz, B.,
Arenth, B., & Salisbury, N. Journey to Scale: Moving together past digital health pilots. Available at www.path.org/publications/files/TS_dhs_journey_to_scale.pdf 5) PATH is an international nonprofit
organization with a mission to save lives and improve health. For more information, see https://www.path.org/ 6) For more information see https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/11163514
7) The Guardian, January 2016. Population growth in Africa: grasping the scale of the challenge. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2016/jan/11/
population-growth-in-africa-grasping-the-scale-of-the-challenge
WHEN
RECRUITMENT
GOES DIGITAL
Text: Mike Dalzell
Digitalisation has opened up new The talent has won Supporting diversity
ways of attracting talent. But while For job seekers, digital communication It also creates opportunities for workforce
digital recruitment has made global offers multiple avenues for learning about diversity, for example in connection with
talent attraction easier and more a company and, for would-be expats, Novo Nordisk’s graduate programme that
cost-efficient, it can also present what it’s like to live and work in another each year attracts candidates from more
challenges for in-house resources and country. “Some years back, people talked than 100 countries. The programme even
employee retention. about the ‘war for talent,’ but today it got an applicant from Fiji who responded
rather goes like this: ‘The war for talent to the campaign and wanted to start a
Technology has dramatically changed is over – and the talent won,’ Franz career in Denmark.
the way human resource departments says. “This means that we as a potential
approach their work and what candidates employer need to step up, be visible Diversifying also provides a way to reach
expect from a job search. Long gone and work diligently to express what a an untapped pool of talent to fill a global
are the days when companies passively life-changing career looks like at Novo skills gap. The McKinsey Global Institute
awaited responses to job ads from Nordisk.” predicts a shortage of as many as 85
candidates who often applied with limited million qualified workers worldwide by the
amount knowledge about the company or Together with colleagues in Novo year 2020.1
its values and culture. For both employers Nordisk’s digital attraction team, Franz
and talent, today’s job market is proactive maintains platforms like the Facebook Too much of a good thing?
and transparent. career page, LinkedIn page and the But for almost every upside, there is a
global career site on novonordisk.com, all downside. Digital recruitment increases
Employers have won different channels needed to run efficient the number of applications, straining
For employers, the Internet and social global talent attraction. This for example the internal resources needed to comb
media provide the ability to spot talent includes videos starring employees who through them all. When the number of
anywhere in the world. “In the old days, if reflect on the corporate culture and their applications for Novo Nordisk’s graduate
you were looking for, say, a chemist from careers. programme, for instance, topped 10,000,
Belgium, there would be no way you could it forced a change in recruiting strategy.
find him or her yourself, if you were sitting Those are some of the outward strengths
in another country,” says Franz Veisig, of digital recruitment but there are internal Franz tells that they decided to embark on
Novo Nordisk’s global digital attraction benefits, too. Digital recruitment is far a “fewer and better” strategy, in which
campaign manager. more cost-effective than the old ways. applicants were required to include a
WORKING WITH
IT SECURITY IS A
BALANCING ACT
As Vice President of IT Security & What does a day on the job look like we move in. This is how we ensure that
Quality in Novo Nordisk, Lars Falch is when working with IT security in Novo we continuously improve our processes
responsible for keeping the company Nordisk? and our ability to respond to potential IT
safe from cybercrime and other IT Working with IT security is very much security incidents.
risks. Learn more about his approach a balancing act where we need to ask
and why he thinks basic IT hygiene ourselves questions like ‘how much money What types of cyber threats is Novo
is just as important as washing your do we want to spend?’ and ‘How do we Nordisk exposed to?
hands. prioritise our time?’ I believe that achieving Actually, we are facing the same threats
100% IT security is an almost impossible as most citizens of the world. Somebody
Please describe your role? task. So we need to make compromises. can steal our secrets, somebody can delete
I am Vice President of IT Security & Where should they be? Which risks can our data, or our computers can break
Quality in Novo Nordisk which is the unit we take? Or not take? My day is filled down. This goes for both our private and
dealing with IT security matters across the with a lot of these questions that must be professional life. Identity theft for you
company globally. Among other things, answered. or loss of all your family documents and
we are responsible for implementing photos can be disastrous. To Novo Nordisk,
regulatory IT requirements into our quality An important task on a normal day is to be it can result in loss of data or productivity
management system, ensuring smooth an ambassador for IT security, making sure which may affect our ability to serve
operations of our IT security infrastructure that we think IT security right from the patients.
and supporting major IT projects with IT beginning. The sooner, the more efficient.
security guidance. I also spend a lot of time communicating A lot of threats and potential sources of
about risks and how to mitigate them. IT security incidents start with an e-mail
encouraging you to click on a link or
All the feedback, thoughts and worries I urgently requesting a wire transfer. The
receive from colleagues across the globe attacker tries to trick you, just like when
feed into the IT security direction you go on holiday and get offered a
“cheap” taxi ride in the airport. The links
in those emails – if you click on them – can
create so-called backdoors. This is the
Lars Falch is Vice President
same as somebody copying your house key
of IT Security & Quality
without you knowing it. They now have
in Novo Nordisk access to your house whenever they want.
Only, in the e-mail case it is not your house
but the company’s computers.
What is done to mitigate the threats? affected by it. Luckily, in Denmark, it The big picture
We have systems in place to limit this broke out on a national holiday and
and prevent it from happening, but we the weather was lovely. So a lot of us Every year, Verizon publishes its Data
cannot be 100% safe. Our colleagues in spent time with our family enjoying Breach Investigations Report that
Novo Nordisk all have a role to play. the weather instead of working on our offers a global overview of real-
computers. world data breaches* and security
Some years ago, malicious e-mails were
incidents. The 2017 report is based on
rather obvious to spot, but today the How do you work to make
methods are way more sophisticated. employees more alert about the risk an analysis of over 40,000 incidents,
Everybody can be fooled so we need to of cybercrime? including 1,935 confirmed data
be much more cautious. Is it really your This is in the DNA of every IT security breaches of organisations from 84
friend writing? Maybe you should ask person in Novo Nordisk – we see it as different countries.
her before you click on the link or you our finest task to inform everybody we
could put yourself or the company in meet. Because that particular person
jeopardy. Look for anything that seems might be the next person clicking on the
out of the ordinary. If somebody writes wrong links or skipping a security patch.
you about a package and you know
Who’s behind the
you have not ordered one – ignore We do various awareness campaigns – breaches?
the e-mail. Or even better: contact often based on current events, such as
the police. WannaCry. We train the IT organisation
75%
in how to identify the right level of IT perpetrated by outsiders.
How do you work with the police to security. And then we have made a
investigate cybercrime? turnaround in IT security, setting the IT 25%
In case we should experience a security security requirements into a business involved internal actors.
incident, we will of course use all the context. Relating IT security to the
expertise we can get, including that of everyday lives of our colleagues results in 18%
the police. I have good relations with my a higher degree of understanding. conducted by state-affiliated actors.
peers in other big companies as well as
the police and we meet once in a while In the future, what will be some of
to discuss what threats are “out there” the developments in cybercrime and
and what can be done to protect against what actions do companies need to
them. take?
As we become more and more What tactics do they use?
How did you handle the recent dependent on IT, the approaches
WannaCry ransomware attack? of the attackers also change, which 62%
This was certainly an interesting is something we must address. The of breaches featured hacking.
weekend for everyone working in attackers become more sophisticated
IT security! I was actually enjoying a and more targeted. 51%
day off with my daughter when I first over half of breaches included malware.
heard about WannaCry and realised A virus like WannaCry was a new kind
that this was something that might that we have feared for some years now. 81%
need my attention. One of the most The people behind it will eventually of hacking-related breaches leveraged either
stolen and/or weak passwords.
important things to do to limit the become even better. This means that
spread of WannaCry was to ensure that we must step up when fighting back.
the security patches from Microsoft The law enforcement also works
were installed. This has been a very intensively to get better at dealing
clear reminder to everyone about how with large scale cybercrime that goes
important patching is, be that at work beyond an individual trying to make Who are the victims?
or at home. some easy money.
24%
Bear in mind that Wanna Cry was not It will require more from the everyday of breaches affected financial organizations.
aimed at someone in particular. So it life of every citizen in the world. They
could be just as devastating to Novo need to learn that basic IT hygiene is just 15%
Nordisk or to any citizen as it was to as important as washing your hands to of breaches involved healthcare organizations.
the patients of the hospital in the UK avoid, well, the physical kind of virus.
12%
Public sector entities were the third most
prevalent breach victim at 12%.
copying your house key without of malware was installed via malicious email
attachments.
73%
you knowing it. Only, in the e-mail of breaches were financially motivated.
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