Hundreds of health care specialists connected under one roof with Ziik

About Company

Orkuhúsið is a private-sector healthcare provider in Iceland specialising in orthopedic and related specialist services, with a strong focus on surgery and treatments where patients can return home the same day.

Across surgery, physiotherapy, radiology and related services, the wider organisation now includes roughly 250-300 professionals: Doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, X-ray technicians, administrative staff and more. Orkuhúsið’s rapid growth has made coordination increasingly important.

Challenges before Ziik

Before Ziik, Orkuhúsið used Workplace. When that platform was discontinued, the organisation had to rethink its setup. However, replacing Workplace wasn’t the only issue.

As Orkuhúsið CEO, Dagný Jónsdóttir, explains, they needed something more secure and more suitable for healthcare: “We wanted a more secure platform to work on. Especially because we are now working with the health authorities to get approval to exchange patient-related information inside the system.”

Working in healthcare, communication is not just operational, it can involve highly sensitive information. And in Orkuhúsið’s case, patient journeys often move between departments. A patient often goes from physiotherapy to X-ray to surgery all in the same day. That requires close coordination between specialists, and a system that can support fast and safe exchange of sensitive information.

Requirements for a new solution

When Orkuhúsið began looking for a replacement platform, it had to meet several criteria. It had to be:

• Familiar and intuitive
• Secure under European data protection regulations
• Structured for team-based collaboration
• Suitable for mobile use

“We banned the use of Facebook and other private platforms for work-related communication,” Dagný Jónsdóttir explains. “Work matters should stay in a work environment.” But at the same time, they didn’t want something complicated. Ziik’s interface, which looks similar to popular social media platforms, meant that no formal training of employees was needed. Staff simply started using it, without onboarding programmes or manuals.

“It looks like social media. It works like social media. So people just know how to use it,” Dagný Jónsdóttir says.

Results

A daily operational tool, especially for nurses

One of the biggest surprises has been who uses Ziik the most, because they don’t sit at computers all day. ”The nurses and doctors, especially the nurses, are the ones that use it the most,” Dagný Jónsdóttir says. “They have their phones. This platform was made for them.”

Instead of relying on email, which many clinical staff rarely check during shifts, Ziik has become the primary channel for daily operational updates. “If someone calls in sick at seven in the morning, we use the group chat. The operating room sees it immediately and adjusts.” In practice, this means fewer delays and smoother coordination throughout the day.

Structured collaboration across three companies

With three separate companies operating under one umbrella, group structure is essential. The ability to create targeted groups for surgery teams, physiotherapy teams, management and administration, and so on, allows Orkuhúsið to communicate efficiently without overwhelming everyone with information that isn’t relevant. This structure has helped manage growth without losing operational overview. “The groups are really important to us. That’s how we work in teams, both within one company and across the umbrella,” explains Dagný Jónsdóttir.

Easy administration – and local support

For Dagný Jónsdóttir, another key factor has been ease of administration. Managing access, migrating users and structuring permissions have turned out simpler than expected. “I think Ziik is broader and much better than Workplace ever was.” When a technical issue did arise, the response was immediate. “I took a screenshot of the problem and sent them a video. It was handled very quickly. That made me feel I can rely on them,” recalls Dagný Jónsdóttir. “Just knowing who to talk to in your own language, that’s important.”

Favourite Features

Group chat for daily operations
The chat function is the most used feature, particularly for day-to-day practical coordination. Early-morning sick leave messages, operating room adjustments and practical updates can be shared instantly with the right team.

“It’s faster than email. And I know people will see it.”

Structured groups across the organisation
With several companies operating together, the ability to organise communication by role and team is critical. Groups allow surgeons, physiotherapists, management and administrative teams to collaborate effectively while keeping conversations focused and relevant.‍

Work communication stays at work
By banning Facebook and other private messaging platforms for work communication, Orkuhúsið ensured that work discussions now happen in a professional environment.

“For us, that was very important,” Dagný Jónsdóttir says

The fact that Ziik is a Scandinavian product with local presence in Iceland also contributed to the organisation’s confidence.‍

Simple administration
Managing users, groups and access rights has proven straightforward, even in a fast-growing organisation.

“It was easier than I expected.”