As a first in Norway, the heavyweights in the health industry have come together to develop a report with the goal of describing the health sector in numeric terms. We define the health sector as all parts of the value chain, both private and public actors.

The main focus in the report is to assess the value added contribution of the private health industry. The contribution of the health industry to both inhabitants and the public health sector is probably larger than its contribution measured in terms of employment and taxes.

The report takes a forward looking perspective. There are numerous challenges facing the Norwegian welfare state. Many expect that challenges such as an ageing population and diseases like cancer and dementia will prove ever larger in the coming decades, especially seen in the light of the economic conditions over the last few years. The private health industry can provide a double opportunity for Norway: While income from several other large industries in Norway is declining, the private health industry might expand, based on a growing global market, to become one of the largest industries in Norway. At the same time, the health industry may become the answer to many health and care challenges in the coming decades.

A full-length Norwegian language version of the report can be downloaded here.