Teton and Sygehus Sønderjylland receive this year's Hermit Award for demonstrating how targeted management and professional focus can make health technology a natural part of everyday care.

Teton and Sygehus Sønderjylland are awarded the Hermit – Health Tech Implementation Award – for their joint efforts in integrating health technology as an essential and valuable part of patient care. Their solution not only streamlines workflows but also enhances patient safety, showcasing how technology can truly make a difference in healthcare.

The award was presented Tuesday evening at the Copenhagen Health Tech Summit, which, for the fourth consecutive year, highlighted one of the most crucial – yet often overlooked – aspects of health innovation: implementation.

"With the Hermit Award, we celebrate those who successfully bring health technology into real-world practice – benefitting both patients and healthcare staff. It’s not just about ideas and pilot projects, but about creating actual change through strong implementation," says Line Knoop-Henriksen, Partner Manager at Health Tech Hub Copenhagen.

Teton and Sygehus Sønderjylland earned the award for their work with intelligent sensor technology, which gives healthcare staff instant access to patient movement patterns, falls, and changes in breathing. Their solution addresses a concrete challenge in healthcare: the widening gap between care needs and available staff resources. By sending notifications directly to caregivers' phones, staff can react promptly and be present where they are needed most.

The solution has already produced documented improvements in the Department of Geriatrics. The number of patient falls has been halved, response time has been reduced by 87%, and the time a patient remains on the floor after a fall has been shortened by 77% on average. This faster response increases both patient and family confidence while allowing caregivers to focus more on direct patient care.

According to Mette-Charlotte Marklund, Chief Physician at Nordsjællands Hospital and award presenter at the ceremony, the selection process was difficult – but the jury reached a consensus:

"It was challenging to nominate and even harder to choose a winner. However, the jury unanimously selected Teton and Sygehus Sønderjylland. They have maintained a clear focus on healthcare staff needs and workflows while working diligently on implementation, making them this year's Hermit Award winners."

A Strong Finalist Group Reflects the Diversity of Danish Health Technology

Teton and Sygehus Sønderjylland were selected from a competitive group of finalists, which included Melatech and Region Hovedstaden for their AI-supported solution for faster skin cancer diagnostics, as well as Fonden Mental Sundhed and Copenhagen Municipality for their digital stress therapy program, "Open and Calm Online," making mental health support more accessible.

Both projects illustrate how technology can generate value in healthcare, but it was Teton and Sygehus Sønderjylland’s ability to implement their solution effectively, improving both workflows and patient care, that made the difference this year.

An Award for Real-World Healthcare

The Hermit Award, established by Health Tech Hub Copenhagen, is given annually to a partnership that has successfully implemented a digital health solution with measurable impact. The name Hermit refers to the hermit crab, which can only grow if it finds the right shell. Similarly, health technology only creates real value when it finds the right foothold in healthcare.

The award therefore recognizes not just innovative ideas, but those that bring them to life – in everyday healthcare settings, alongside staff, and for the benefit of patients. This year's Health Tech Implementation Award was presented on May 6, 2025, as part of the Copenhagen Health Tech Summit. This marks the fourth time the award has been given.

Jury Members for This Year’s Award:

• Mette Marklund – Chief Physician, Radiology Department, Nordsjællands Hospital

• Ricco Dyhr – Hospital Director, Zealand University Hospital

• Sara Gry – Director, Nordic Health Lab

• Per Bennetsen – CEO, Copenhagen Municipality Health and Care Administration

• Morten Freil – Director, Danish Patients Association