A report on the use of remote healthcare technology in the Kainuu welfare region

Authors

• Pauli Mikkonen Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, Kajaani
• Tuija Heikkinen Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, Kajaani; Well­being ser­vi­ces coun­ty of Kai­nuu, Kajaani

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23996/fjhw.156302

Keywords:

digital technology, health services, remote services, remote access

Abstract

The proportion of elderly people is growing in the population. The financial challenges of the wellbeing services counties and the sufficiency of nursing staff in Kainuu and elsewhere in Finland have been widely discussed in the media, and they challenge the current healthcare service structure. In Kainuu, the strategy of the wellbeing services county emphasizes the role of digital services alongside the traditional physical healthcare network.

The current situation in the Kainuu wellbeing services county was surveyed with an electronic survey directed at employees (n = 57) and supplemented with selected expert interviews (n = 10) in 2024. The interviewees were mainly employees of the wellbeing services county of Kainuu who had expertise in elderly care and the use of technology in the field of social welfare and healthcare.

The survey investigated the remote technologies in use in healthcare and at home, collected the personnel's needs on solutions utilizing remote technology and related challenges. Currently remote technologies are used, at least to some extent, to support remote care. Communication with the customer via video phone service, electronic door opening and safety wristband were already established technologies. The staff is aware of the potential of using remote technology as a healthcare tool and hopes that its use will increase. Concerns were raised about resources, data protection and security issues, the need for training and the overall reliability of technological equipment.