From May 8–11, 2025, the city of Gothenburg (Sweden) hosted the 100th conference of the European General Practice Research Network (EGPRN) – Europe’s largest research network in primary care. The theme “Telehealth: Its Benefits, Quality, and Safety” attracted over 200 participants from 36 countries to the Selma Lagerlöf Center.
The conference opened at Börshuset with speeches by Mayor Aslan Asbak, Regional Council Chair Renée Bengtsson, and Professor Jörgen Månsson from the University of Gothenburg. Professor Hans Thulesius, Chair of the Local Organizing Committee, described EGPRN as “a friendship and peace project greater than the EU idea” – emphasizing collaboration across borders in a time of global uncertainty.
Focus on Telehealth and AI in Practice
Two keynote lectures set the tone: Associate Professor Linda Huibers (Aarhus) spoke on access to urgent care via digital means, and Associate Professor Veronica Milos Nymberg (Lund) offered a practical and reflective “AI bucket list” for Swedish primary care.
Highlights among the thematic lectures included Carl Wikberg (Gothenburg), who presented a study comparing GPT-4 with medical specialists in managing complex cases, and Elisabeth Assing Hvidt (Odense), who addressed how video consultations can hinder physicians’ ability to perceive patient vulnerability – affecting the ethical quality of care.
Workshops and Innovation
Four preconference workshops gathered participants from across Europe. One focused on implementing telehealth in clinical practice, and another explored how to design digital behavioral health interventions using the NIH-developed CIAS app (Computerized Intervention Authoring System). The app enables non-programmers to create interventions using text, video, and AI-driven elements.
Broad Range of Scientific Contributions
Over 100 scientific presentations and posters addressed topics such as:
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The potential and limitations of AI in clinical decision support
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Digital triage and e-consultations across multiple European countries
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Telemedicine in low-resource settings (e.g., Tajikistan and Albania)
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Ethical and relational challenges in video consultations
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Regulatory and equity concerns in rapidly digitizing healthcare systems
Gothenburg as an International Hub
The conference illustrated how technological change is shaping relational, organizational, and clinical practice in primary care. Key discussions centered on equity in access, data security, and ethical frameworks for AI and telehealth. Sweden had the largest national representation, followed by Portugal, Spain, France, Israel, and Türkiye – reaffirming Gothenburg’s role as an international center for future-facing healthcare dialogue.
Next Meeting: Plovdiv, Bulgaria – October 2025
The conference closed with a celebratory dinner at the River Restaurant overlooking the Göta River, and an official invitation to the next EGPRN conference, to be held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, in October 2025 – where the network will continue shaping the future of European primary care.
📄 More information and full program: www.egprn.org