Terveystalo's digital occupational health in the world
In Finland, occupational health is a key part of our health care system. We also use technology to support well-being and work capacity in an internationally unique way and with excellent results. Mikko Rautalahti, an occupational health physician from Terveystalo's Digital Occupational Health, was recently invited to lecture on these topics at the International Global Health Week in Abu Dhabi.
– Globally, occupational health is seen as a strong part of safety at work and has focused on preventing or treating accidents at work - in the same way that occupational health in Finland started to develop. However, the shortage of skilled workers and the rise in mental health disorders, which affects every employer, has awakened employers around the world to think more broadly and to consider how to take care of their employees' well-being," says Rautalahti.
Digital health was a strong theme at the Global Health event, as digital innovations are shaping occupational health from many directions.
– Digitalisation was still seen a few years ago as a solution to increase productivity, but it is impossible to reap the full benefits if workers are burdened by the new way of working. For us in occupational health, digital tools give us a view into the health of the organisation. Even in the face of major changes brought about by digitalisation, we know how to think about and support employers in implementing them in a way that doesn't compromise staff's ability to work. This knowledge-based perspective and well-being partnership offered by collaboration is also needed in other parts of the world," says Rautalahti.
The hot potato in healthcare - the use of artificial intelligence - was naturally a popular topic in both presentations and discussions.
– There is now a lot of ethical debate around the world about what needs to be considered before AI can be introduced into healthcare. At Terveystalo, we are already one step ahead, as our own ethical principles for AI were recently published and serve as a starting point for our development work. Based on these, we have already created AI-based solutions that streamline the work of professionals and improve the quality of care," says Rautalahti.
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