Methodology
If fewer people shall get ill and die from cancer, we need to think in new ways. Both in terms of developing new solutions and getting better at using what is available. We need to innovate better solutions for the patients to live a better life before, during, and after cancer treatment. Vision Zero Cancer applies a mission-oriented innovation approach and design for systemic change. Mission-driven innovation facilitates change in complex adaptive systems by convening and enabling a coalition of the willing who share an overarching vision and working principles.
The only time to prepare for the future is now!
All our thinking, understanding and acting about the future takes place in the present.
Mission-driven innovation
Vision Zero Cancer acts as the neutral facilitating party that convenes, connects and enables national and international actors from the academic, public sector, private sector and civil society to catalyse concrete actions that lead to measurable improvements in cancer.
Vision Zero Cancer is one out of 5 Swedish mission-driven innovation milieus in health. The concept builds on the tradition and success of ‘Zero Death in Traffic’, a Swedish innovation project launched in 1997 that resulted in a world-wide movement with the same goal and that is widely cited as the inspiration for mission-driven innovation approaches, e.g., in Professor Mariana Mazzucato’s report to the European Commission or the German Vision Zero gemeinsam gegen Krebs/ together against cancer.
In the sense of ‘luck favours the prepared’, missions aim to optimally use as well as create novel opportunities; they thereby combine opportunistic choices within an ontological framework underpinning the overall mission goal.
Missions need to ‘build the tracks while driving the train’, this means to develop novel tools and methodology in parallel to driving concrete action towards measurable sub-goals.
Our five key principles of mission-driven innovation
Core focus areas
Fewer people shall get ill and die from cancer. For that to work, we need to think in new ways. Both in terms of developing new solutions and getting better at using what is available.
Many good thoughts and efforts already exist – Vision Zero Cancer wants to be the point of contact, a catalyct platform where everyone can gather. From behavioral scientists and app developers to public health specialists, doctors, and nurses. Here we gather to find together the solutions that change cancer care.
Vision Zero Cancer has identified five different areas that need renewal. The areas are not mutually exclusive, rather closely intertwining. Three deals with the patient’s time in care – prevention, early detection and diagnosis, and treatment and quality of life – and two are about what surrounds this process – research, clinical trials and registries, as well as organization, economics and ethics.
A lot of cancer is preventable
A third of all cancer is related to living habits. This means that one third of all cancers are preventable. And if fewer people get sick, we reduce people’s suffering, increase public health and save society’s resources. The only question is how.
How do we detect cancer earlier?
The earlier cancer is detected, the greater are the chances of survival. With new systems and knowledge, we can pick up on symptoms earlier and more quickly come to treatment. And get more chances to reach the vision of zero people dying from cancer and more people living longer and better.
Better treatment, better lives
Chemotherapy also gives way to healthy cells. We want to find more precise treatment, focusing on the goal and on providing as little side effects as possible. Both during and after treatment. Because it is not just about survival, it is about continuing to live.
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Dialogue improves research
Healthcare has become more and more production oriented. We think that is the wrong way to go. On the one hand, it is difficult for staff to maintain resilient conditions and, on the other hand, the time for research and studies decreases. And research and studies are crucial to developing healthcare and furthering innovation.
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Is it possible to innovate the organization?
Queues, complicated booking systems and tight schedules. Sweden’s cancer care is under pressure. To make the situation better for both staff and patients, we need to find ways to organize and use resources smarter.
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How to reach vision zero
Vision Zero entails the long-term goal that no one should die because of cancer. Together we save lives and make sure that more people live longer and better.
We support the European Academy of Cancer Sciences (EACS)’s overall goal of achieving a 10-year cancer-specific survival rate for 75% of adult patients diagnosed in EU Member States with a well-developed healthcare system by 2030.
We start with lung cancer in Sweden.
By 2030, our goal is to halve the number of people dying of lung cancer. We have set out 12 milestones in the five overlapping target areas that we want to innovate.
Vision Zero Cancer strives to achieve the 2030 Agenda
By improving cancer care, making it more equal and strengthening Sweden’s international competitiveness in life science, Vision Zero Cancer is part of implementing the 2030 Agenda. Agenda 2030 also includes specific goals that Vision Zero Cancer strives to achieve:
Objective 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being at all ages.
Objective 9: Building resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
Health and well-being are closely linked to other sustainability challenges, such as clean water and sanitation, climate change, sustainable cities, equality, poverty and human rights. A broad sustainability agenda helps to reduce the number of people who fall ill and die from cancer.
Inspired by road safety
The concept of Vision Zero is usually attributed to the Swedish Transport Administration. In 1997, the Swedish Parliament made a historic decision determining the Vision Zero – the vision of a future road transport system that does not threaten people’s lives and health. The decision on road safety has radically changed the approach, responsibility and the whole safety philosophy. The vision zero puts reducing personal injuries into focus but accepts that accidents happen. This means that the work done on road safety must be directed towards reducing personal injuries. Reaching the vision of zero is a shared responsibility between those designing the system and the road users. Road safety work has been successful through effective cooperation between different authorities, organizations and companies. Both jointly and individually, they develop solutions and methods for safer road traffic and support each others progress.
Similarly, we will collaborate in the innovation milieu Vision Zero Cancer.