Co-creation in primary healthcare: a qualitative study of collaboration between welfare technologists and healthcare professionals

Purpose This study contributes to the growing body of research on co-creation in primary healthcare by highlighting the complex and evolving relationship between municipalities and welfare technology providers. Drawing on the framework of “co-creation,” the study aims to illuminate the dynamic interplay between technologists and other stakeholders in shaping healthcare services. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach utilising reflexive thematic analysis was employed. The study consisted of 17 semi-structured interviews with healthcare managers from three municipalities and technologists from four private welfare technology companies. Findings In this study, three overarching themes were developed: (1) Welfare technologists enter the public sector arena from below, (2) Bridging sectors: The growing complexity of municipality–technologist collaboration, and (3) Skill expansion – an impact of emerging technologies. Our findings indicate that co-creation fosters balanced partnerships, with processes characterised by consensus and shared goals. Rather than passive recipients, municipal actors actively shape healthcare services. While welfare technologists are seen both as partners and vendors, municipalities maintain a strategic role in procurement and in aligning technological solutions with public service values. Research limitations/implications One notable limitation is the exclusive focus on the provider side of healthcare services, omitting the perspective of patients and their relatives. This focus is justified by the underexplored role of technologists in health services research, despite their crucial influence on the valuation and implementation of technology. The participant selection process, which involved managers recommending additional participants, ensured relevance but may have introduced bias based on managerial attitudes. However, the data does not indicate significant bias, as participants expressed both positive and negative perspectives. A key strength of this study lies in its dual perspective, incorporating insights from both private-sector technologists and public healthcare managers and professionals. The analysis highlights the complexity of integrating welfare technology into primary healthcare systems. By employing a co-creation framework, the study sheds light on the distinct roles of co-creators and offers valuable insights into how these actors navigate the intersection of care work and technological development. Social implications The increasing role of welfare technologists in healthcare raises important questions about control, autonomy, and the future governance of welfare technologies. It may reflect a broader shift in healthcare governance, where healthcare services are co-constructed through cooperation, mutual learning, and the balancing of technical possibilities with care values. Originality/value A key strength of this study lies in its dual perspectives, incorporating insights from both private-sector technologists and public healthcare managers and professionals. It explores how technologists have positioned themselves as key actors in the primary healthcare sector and reveals that technologists strategically present themselves as well-informed about the sector’s challenges. This enables them to gain acceptance within municipalities, where they are recognised as important partners in shaping healthcare services.