Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss how and to what extent users can become involved in the process of selecting and implementing telecare and telehealth technologies in local health care services. Design/methodology/approach – The discussion is based on data from a project in one local authority in Norway. About 100 persons have participated in focus group interviews where issues regarding new telecare and telehealth technologies for the elderly were discussed. The focus groups involved different groups of product users and stakeholder groups, i.e. “older senior users” (over 65 years), “younger senior users” (55-65 years), relatives, health care professionals and general practitioners (GPs). Findings – Different user groups have different stakes in the technology. It is difficult to involve “older senior users” in the selection process due to their lack of information about potential solutions, while “younger senior users” are more informed and positive towards the introduction of telecare and telehealth technologies. The results also indicate that professionals are ambiguous towards new technologies; on the one hand they expect services to be better, but on the other they are concerned about ethical and working life issues that have not been fully explored as yet. Originality/value – This paper provides an understanding of how different groups of product users and stakeholder groups relate to and can be involved in an expanded implementation process of telecare and telehealth technology which allow older people to remain in their homes for longer.

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Background Emergency Medical call-takers working in Emergency Medical Communication Centers (EMCCs) are addressing complex and potentially life threatening problems. The call-takers have to make fast decisions, responding to problems described in phone calls. Recent studies focus mainly on individual aspects of call-takers’ work. The objectives of this study were to explore 1) What characterizes individual work performance of call takers in EMCCs? and 2) What characterizes work organizational factors call takers see as most relevant to the performance of their work? Methods The research is based upon in-depth interviews with call takers at three EMCCs in Norway ( n = 19). Interviews were performed during the period May 2013 to September 2014. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Two main themes that related to individual work performance and to work organizational factors in EMCCs were identified, namely: 1) “Core technologies” and 2) “Environmental issues” . The theme “Core technologies” included the subthemes a) multiple tasks, b) critical incidents, and c) unpredictability. The theme “Environmental issues” included the subthemes a) lack of support, b) lack of resources, c) exposure to complaints, and d) an invisible service. Conclusion At the individual level, multiple tasks, how to cope with critical incidents, and the unpredictability of daily work when calls are received, make the work of call takers both stressful and challenging. The individual call taker’s ability to interprete the situation by intuition and experience when calls are received, is the main factor behind the peculiarities working in the centers at the individual level. At the organizational level, the lack of resources and managerial support seems to provoke concerns about the quality of services rendered by the centers. These aspects should be taken into account in the managing of these services, making them a more integrated part of the health service system. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-019-4370-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

This article addresses questions about health authorities’ recommendations on the local organisation of services for people with mental health disorders in Norway. Analysis is made of the dynamic relationship between different evaluations, national guidelines and other knowledge that influence the organisation of services. The analysis is based upon documents about how recommendations by health authorities have shifted during a period of 15 years. The relationship between policy guidelines, the role of scientific evidence and practical organisational models is characterised by ambiguity and pragmatism. Some theoretical implications of these findings and uses of knowledge in different policy areas are discussed.