DIGI CITIZEN

Kela Through Digital Lens: My experience with Finland’s social service

When living in Finland, it doesn’t take long to hear about Kela (kansaneläkelaitos), translated in English as the National Pension Institute, which reflects its original function as the national provider of pensions for retirement. Kela has evolved significantly from being Finland’s National pension provider to becoming the nation’s social service arm. Once you live in Finland, you will likely have some interaction with Kela, whether directly or indirectly. Although Kela might seem like just another government agency, what sets it apart in terms of digitalization is its effective delivery of services through modern digital tools.

Kela’s Services

Kela offers a wide range of services that support people through different stages of life, from birth to retirement. These include Child benefits, student support, housing allowance, sickness and disability benefits, parental leave allowance, unemployment benefits, and pension.

In my own life, I have used Kela in various stages. I received opintotuki (student financial aid), which assisted me while studying for my bachelor’s degree. My family has also received asumistuki, and we currently receive lapsilisää (child benefit).

These services, though traditional in nature, are made much more accessible thanks to Kela’s digital transformation, I recall that just about twelve years back,, visiting a Kela office was a dreaded thing because it meant having to wait over an hour average on any given day; the place was always packed most applications were done via paper forms. I must admit, I haven’t visited a Kela office in about ten years. However, from observation, the lines are shorter, and I have personally seen the drive to encourage and familiarize people with using digital services instead of in-person and paper forms.

Kela’s Digital Tool Box

What has impressed me about Kela is how much can be done online. Kela’s leading digital service platform, Omakela, enables people to apply for benefits, submit additional documents, check the status of their submitted applications, and receive decisions—all from the comfort of their own homes. As someone who has visited their office and filled out paper forms, I can honestly say the shift to digital has saved a lot of time.

OmaKanta

omaKanta is a government website where Finnish residents can view their health information. From the website, one can view appointments and diagnoses, test results, prescriptions, renewals, vaccinations, living wills, and organ donation testaments, among other information and services. Omakanat, or my kanta, is part of a larger service, known as the Kanta service. The Kanta service aims to gather information from different service providers in Finland in a single secure location. Digitalisation has ensured that the relevant persons who need the data have access to relevant and up-to-date information.

Accessing omakanta

Omakanta is accessed from the website https://www.kanta.fi/omakanta, then clicking on the login tab in green.

The log must be authenticated through your bank’s online authentication service

After completing the authentication process, you can view your health information.

I have accessed and used the Omakanta service primarily to check results, such as blood test results, and to double-check health appointments. The convenience and accessibility reduce the need for physical visits to various service providers. This is a huge time-saver that works well for the elderly and individuals with mobility issues.

The security features must be great, as this contains the health data of all Finnish people. You can only control how your data is shared but cannot opt out of the service. The Kanta services, which include OmaKanta, are internal to the national healthcare system.

Keva services

I have previously checked my pension details through Varma’s online services, which provide easy access to accumulated pension information and future projections. I have used the pension calculator. There is also an account management feature that makes it simple to track and plan for retirement at both ages 63 and 68. My pension is lower than I thought it would but considering I have worked in three different countries it is probably expected.

Review of Online Shop

I reviewed the price of the JBL Tune 510BT, which was listed on Amazon for approximately € 27. The item was also available at verkkokauppa with an approximate cost of 53€. The headphones were significantly lower on Amazon, but the delivery cost was not added in this scenario. Through digitalization, online shops like Amazon can provide detailed product information, such as specifications and dimensions, as well as reliable customer reviews and frequently asked questions. Customers in amny instances do prefer to examine and try the actual products. The personal interaction and peace of mind in some cases is worth the extra especially when you cannot afford to wait.

Review of Service

Netvisor is a popular cloud-based financial management system that Finnish companies and accounting firms use. It offers integrated accounting, payroll, invoicing, inventory, and reporting tools. Netvisor is used for both medium and small companies and offers. It connects directly to the business’s bank account and fetches the payments from the account. It also has a feature where receipts can be uploaded via a mobile scanner, and the app can pull all the relevant information from the scanned receipts. VAT reporting and payroll processes can be automated; to top it off, there is real-time collaboration between the company and the accountant.

Digitalization and digital gaps

As digitalization progresses, it is essential to keep abreast with technology and the latest tools, trends, and apps for your sector or field of work; failing to do so would become underproductive, old-fashioned, and unappealing to an employer. Business is a very competitive field, and employees depend on the latest digitalization tools and their mastery to gain a competitive advantage over rival companies who fail to adjust will become extinct. One popular example of this is Kodak.

Digital Competence Test

I scored well in the digital competency test; my highest score was social awareness, 94%, while collaboration followed shortly after with 93%. I scored the lowest in automation, 58%, and production and sharing was the second lowest with 63%

Self-Reflection

Like the previous one, this course section was very informative and educational. I am grateful for the instructions for applying for the EU Health Card; mine arrived in the post last Friday. I knew the various applications in Kela and about Omakanta’s services, but have greatly appreciated the digitalisation that makes these services smooth and efficient. The task also made me reflect on how far digitalization has progressed and how relevant it is to stay up-to-date in my field.

I have commented on Tiina Kokkonen’s, Quang Chuong’s, and Jenni Hautala’s blogs,