Digitaaliset hoitopolut mullistavat astman omahoidon – vaikuttavuutta, säästöjä ja myönteisiä potilaskokemuksia

Authors

• Susanna Kähkönen
• Minna Salakari Turun yliopisto

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23990/sa.161901

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that requires continuous treatment, symptom monitoring, and anticipation of exacerbations. Our current healthcare system is struggling with an aging population, the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, and a shortage of healthcare professionals. This burden directly affects the timely availability of care and leads to rising costs.

From the perspective of asthma treatment, self-management emerges as an important means to support daily care and to ease the strain on the healthcare system. Self-management refers to the patient’s active involvement in managing their illness, planned in collaboration with healthcare professionals (Vuokko et al. 2023, pp. 11, 42). The significance of self-management is particularly emphasized in the case of chronic diseases, and in asthma care, the concept has already become well established (Pinnock et al. 2017). It is not just about treatment - the patient is seen as an active agent in everyday life, learning to recognize symptoms, use medication correctly, and anticipate exacerbations.

The use of new technologies is rapidly increasing, opening up opportunities for chronic disease self-management that were unimaginable just a few years ago. According to the WHO (2021), eHealth refers to the use of electronic information and communication technologies in healthcare services, including the application of digital health technologies in service delivery. Digital health solutions refer to ICT-based tools and services used in disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and in managing health status and lifestyle (Healthtech Finland 2024). Technological solutions support patients in monitoring symptoms, transmitting health data to professionals, and staying committed to their treatment.

Digital care pathways complement traditional care by enabling personalized remote and self-care support for patients. These pathways may include self-care instructions, exercises, symptom assessments, and questionnaires. They also allow patients to send messages to their care unit and view upcoming events on a timeline (Kauppi 2019; Terveyskylä.fi 2024). Digital care pathways bring continuity and regularity to care—elements that single clinic visits cannot always provide (Genberg et al. 2023).

Effectiveness refers to the positive changes brought about by an intervention in a person’s health, functional capacity, or well-being. Services should therefore be organized in a way that they are impactful both for the individual and for society. In order to effectively allocate healthcare services, up-to-date information is needed on the outcomes of the services and methods used, as well as the required resources to achieve these outcomes (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2024, pp. 15–16). Furthermore, there is a need for understanding and a comprehensive perspective on which solutions work best for each patient.