Social welfare and health care can be streamlined by systematically strengthening the digital agency of social welfare and health care professionals

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health media release 3 May 2024

The daily operations of wellbeing services counties are hindered by the incompatibility of digital information systems, and social welfare and health care professionals are burdened by the need to record patient and customer information. However, there are research-based solutions to the problem.

“First and foremost, the recording process must be streamlined. At the work community level, we need to establish a common understanding of what should be recorded. It would be a good idea to utilise the positive experiences gained in wellbeing services counties. It is essential to focus on the most necessary recordings and their automation,” emphasises Senior Specialist Tiina Koivisto from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.

Digital agency increases the desire to use digital tools

Koivisto is an expert on the matter. Her dissertation examined the use of digital tools from the perspective of health care professionals. The views and competence of social welfare and health care professionals have not been sufficiently taken into account in the use of digital technology.

One solution would be to strengthen digital agency. Digital agency means the professional’s ability to cope with, regulate and control the use of digital tools in their work. Social welfare and health care professionals want to shape technology and the way it is used to better suit their work.

“The most important thing would be that digital tools were used in a task-appropriate manner. Even though social welfare and health care professionals don’t have a say in what digital tools are used, they can be involved in deciding how they are used. The systematic strengthening of digital agency is key to utilising digital tools.”

Työpuntari: social welfare and health care professionals want to be involved in decision-making

The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s social forum Työpuntari’s theme of the year is Voimaa soteen (“Strengthening Social Welfare and Health Care”). The results of the year’s first surveys show that social welfare and health care professionals believe that they have little opportunity to influence and participate in decision-making.

The survey participants were asked whether the voices of social welfare and health care employees are heard in the public debate, whether social welfare and health care staff have the opportunity to influence the development of their own work and whether decision-makers have an up-to-date picture of the daily operations of social welfare and health care work.

The majority of the respondents were social welfare and health care professionals. They rated their influencing ability lower than the work life experts who answered the same questions.

The Kipinä competition collects development suggestions from work units

The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s study group that monitors well-being at work in wellbeing services counties also recommends involving employees in the development of social welfare and health care. Work tasks are perceived as resource factors when one can influence the content of the work and the ways in which the work is performed.

“The transformation into a unified wellbeing services county has only just begun. It is a good idea to involve employees in implementing the change together. Development work should be included in work shift planning and regular meetings,” says Senior Specialist Mervi Halonen from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.

The fact that the study group has received roughly five hundred proposals in the Kipinä competition also indicates that social welfare and health care organizations are interested in developing co-operation. In the Mitä kuuluu? competition, the organizations’ work units record their development actions in the results portal. The five best proposals will be awarded later.

Watch the Työpuntari webinar (in Finnish)

Hyvinvointialueet tiukoilla – mutta mikä sotessa sujuu? | Yle Areena

Learn more

• The Työpuntari events organised by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health tackle important work life issues. In 2024, Työpuntari focuses on working conditions and well-being at work in the social welfare and health care sector.
• Find the surveys and their results on the Työpuntari page (in Finnish): Voimaa soteen Työpuntarista | Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (ttl.fi)
• Research information and guides for social welfare and health care professionals, management and supervisors: Työpuntarin sote-tärpit | Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (ttl.fi)
• The media can request the recent webinar’s presentation materials from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s communications department at paivi.lehtomurto@ttl.fi

Further information

• Tiina Koivisto, Senior Specialist, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, tel. +358 (0)43 824 5928, tiina.koivisto@ttl.fi
• Mervi Halonen, Senior Specialist, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, tel. +358 (0)50 515 1676, mervi.halonen@ttl.fi