ABSTRACT
This chapter examines public and private actors’ reactions to the emergent use of telemedicine on the Swedish primary health care market. The purpose is to investigate how the industry change, brought on by technological advancements, affects the actors’ perception of their roles in the market and, in particular, their roles in relation to each other. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with representatives from the 1) public sector, 2) private telemedicine companies, and 3) private industry organizations. The results indicate that both the public and private sector anticipate telemedicine to carry a significant future impact on the health care market and its dynamics. Nevertheless, the perceived potential of influencing the new market frames differed between the different actors. The results also indicated that increased collaborative efforts can be expected to emerge due to the rise of telemedicine. Still, the different actors perceived various obstacles toward this development. The study concludes by suggesting several practical implications for the public as well as the private sector.
