The healthcare sector relies on an efficient process for ordering healthcare products. To upgrade the time-consuming product catalogue used by Region Stockholm and MediCarrier, HiQ and SQLI Nordics have developed and launched a modern e-commerce solution – the world's first based on Optimizely PIM in combination with Optimizely Customized Commerce. The new platform has already been recognized for its value-generating results.

MediCarrier, responsible for distributing eco-friendly healthcare and consumable items to Region Stockholm’s healthcare facilities, recognized the need to accelerate digitalization and become more agile in their operations. The pandemic served as a significant catalyst for change.

“It is of utmost importance that healthcare providers easily can access the items they need for their work. We have been assessing improvement needs for some time, and the pandemic’s strain on healthcare further accelerated our development efforts. Renewing the product ordering process is a crucial step toward becoming a completely modern organization that supports healthcare providers in the best way possible, and with this, we have added a crucial piece to the puzzle”, says Mattias Ahlqvist, CIO at MediCarrier.

Through a procurement process, MediCarrier tasked HiQ and SQLI Nordics to simplify and expedite the process from ordering to delivery. The new product catalogue took one year to develop, with a fundamental aim to shift from a PDF catalogue to a modern e-commerce platform and a user-friendly website accessible to all of MediCarrier’s customers.

”Our goal has been to reduce the time healthcare providers spend in front of a computer and increase their time with patients. The new e-commerce platform is a technically complex task that has been successful, largely due to a partnership built on trust and MediCarrier’s commitment to developing the platform in a sustainable and innovative manner. It feels great that we, with our expertise and innovative technical solutions, can make a difference in healthcare”, says Anil Ekimler, Project and Delivery Manager at HiQ.

World-unique and recognized e-commerce solution

The product catalogue manages a volume of over 15,000 medical items from more than 260 contracted suppliers. By using Optimizely PIM, MediCarrier can streamline what is often a time-consuming task – managing the product catalogue. And by combining Optimizely PIM with Optimizely Customized Commerce, a first in the world, MediCarrier has built its new solution on a future-proofed technology stack with high performance and reliability. Since the solution was also created using SQLI’s Ignite framework for Optimizely, the project has significantly shortened its time to market.

”It is pleasing to see that what we have achieved with MediCarrier’s new digital platform, makes it much easier for healthcare personnel to handle daily, mission-critical tasks than before. And that we have been able to implement the solution so quickly. Self-service, accessibility, and user-friendliness have been the guiding principles in a project that we hope will make a significant difference in users’ daily lives”, says Viktor Bergman Talani, Technical Director at SQLI Nordics.

The e-commerce platform has already gained attention for its ability to deliver results and clear value to the organization and its users. The project is one of the finalists in the Project of the Year category at the Di Tech Excellence Awards 2023. The winner will be announced on October 12th, 2023.

In a pilot, Folktandvården (public dental care) and AISAB (ambulance care in greater Stockholm) are currently using the new comprehensive solution – the product catalogue and developed e-commerce functionality. All region-owned hospitals and healthcare providers as well as several private entities are also successfully using the new product catalogue. During this autumn, everyone purchasing through MediCarrier will be connected to the new e-commerce platform.

In the coming years, HiQ will also be responsible for the maintenance and further development of the platform and website.

Learn more at MediCarrier’s new website.

HiQ appoints Peter Axelsson as manager of Region South, one of the tech consulting company's most important regions. Peter comes with solid experience in commercial leadership and twenty years of experience in the consulting industry. He is now taking over the leadership of the region with offices in Malmö, Lund, Helsingborg and Karlskrona.

Peter Axelsson most recently comes from Securitas where he has been responsible for several areas and departments, including commercial development of customers with a focus on technology-based services. He also has twenty years of experience in the consulting industry, including as Regional Manager for South at Acando (today CGI) and as Business Area Manager at Tieto.

“The south of Sweden is an important region for HiQ, with a strong business community where we can contribute to the digital transformation. With Peter’s broad experience in leadership, from the industry and the region, combined with the deep competence that our consultants possess, I am convinced that we can build an even better and stronger HiQ. A HiQ that continues to future-proof our client’s businesses with digital solutions and creativity”, says Samuel Skott, CEO at HiQ.

The ambition is for HiQ to be the obvious choice as a partner for clients and as a workplace for the best consultants.

“HiQ is one of the leading and most exciting tech consulting companies in Sweden. To be part of the company’s forward-leaning journey, with a large commercial focus, is very inspiring and a fantastic opportunity. I will make sure that we continue building the great company that HiQ is”, says Peter Axelsson, Head of Region South at HiQ.

The main focus of the new leadership is to develop the business by strengthening the teams and creating the right conditions to meet the need for tech, IT, design and communication in the region.

“The market in the south of Sweden is very interesting with a breadth from large international groups to smaller companies in the start-up phase. A common denominator for many of the companies is the need for business transformation with the help of IT and technology, and at HiQ we have the cutting-edge expertise and breadth that companies need on the journey to future-proof their operations”, says Peter Axelsson.

Peter Axelsson started his position on July 31st, 2023. In addition to the regional leadership, he’s part of the management team in Sweden and at group level.

HiQ, together with Great Apes and Earth People, is awarded at one of Europe's most renowned design competitions – a silver at European Design Awards for its very own brand identity.

This weekend, European Design Awards celebrated the best of brand & graphic design, illustration, and digital design in Europe at a ceremony in Luxembourg. The only Swedish winner in a branding category was HiQ, who was awarded a silver in Branding: Digital Identity Applications.

“We aim for our brand identity to be unique within our industry as well as remain loyal to the freewheeling spirit of HiQ as a brand and a workplace. It is inspiring and humbling to get this recognition, as a token of the hard work we put into our brand”, says Samuel Skott, CEO of HiQ.

HiQ, with a long history of digital design in its offering, turned to its own organization to work on the new identity. Helsinki based digital studio Great Apes, part of the HiQ group, is behind the concept and art direction for the identity that was launched in 2022.

”We are very excited that the HiQ brand is getting recognition on an international level. Especially since the identity is best described as a little mischievous. It’s playful, geeky and self-aware, and doesn’t blindly follow the common tech consultancy trends – so we are delighted that it stood out”, says Niko Sipilä, Design Director at Great Apes.

The identity is a reinvention of the previous HiQ identity – almost solely designed for digital use. It features a completely redrawn logo, expressive typography, a rainbow palette, and bespoke 3D-based illustrations which play a key role.

The visual identity has been brought to life through a close partnership with digital design and innovation agency Earth People – hand-picked for their outstanding abilities in illustration and animation.

“The illustration concepts explore almost surrealistic metaphors for fairly visually uninspiring topics. Quirky, weird, colorful and humorous combining organic and “techy” elements”, says Andreas Carlson, art director and illustrator at Earth People.

The winners at the European Design Awards are selected by a jury consisting of design journalists, educators and critics.

About Great Apes
Great Apes is an award-winning avant-garde digital studio specializing in experimental and innovative digital design & development.

About Earth People
Earth People is a digital agency specializing in digital services, apps, saas services, sites, integrations and physical installations.