We are not just citizen, we are Digi Citizen
Digital services are no longer separate tools that we occasionally use. They are deeply integrated into DNA of our everyday lives. Banking, healthcare, shopping, communication and even retirement planning are increasingly handled online. As a “digi citizen,” I use digital platforms daily both professionally and personally, often without even realizing how dependent modern life has become on them.
KELA
And now I don’t talk about the singer-songwriter Anssi Kela, but the KansanEläkeLAitos, which I think that officially in english it is The Social Insurance Institution of Finland. Although the official acronym is still KELA, could it be something like SIIF or SININFIN 🤷♂️
Ok, let’s dive into the assignment. I really haven’t used KELA’s services in to any matter, except the student healthcare fee. I logged into KELA site and viewed the issues that concerns me from 2020. The only issue was from 2022 when I applied to the COVID allowance. Next issue is from 2025 regarding the student healtcare fee.
In conclusion, there is not a story to tell the next generation 😂
OmaKanta
OmaKanta is a service that I’ve been using more frequently. I’m not going to write here my family medical history though. In to OmaKanta, like KELA and other services that require 2nd factor authentication I use bank (OP) application to do so. There are other ways to authenticate, but I don’t use them. Workflow is simple: Insert user number into service authentication page -> Prompt comes from the mobile app -> Insert mobile app PIN and CHECK the verification code that it matches the service authentication page verification. By doing so, I am sure that the prompt that is shown on the mobile app matches the request from the service I am planning to authenticate.
In OmaKanta I can check my personal health information, doctor appointments, lab results etc. Also I can access my boys information also. There is an option to have access to, for example, grandparents if the give you the access.
KEVA
To be honest, this is my first time to visit the site. It’s kinda depressing to see that at the earliest I could retire at the age of 67 years and 3 months. If I manage to max out the pension until when i turn 70 years I would get 500€ more per month! That’s crazy 🤣
The assignment stated that I should check how much I would get pension at 63, but the calculator does not work like that. The minimum that the calculator shows is the day 1 of the earliest retirement time.
eShopping
Oh my, how easy it is to purchase things nowadays! You can buy literally anything online and you can also get the delivery to your home door. Practical, isn’t it?
I barely do any online shopping, but when I do I usually order straight from the manufacturer if possible (e.g. clothing and shoes). I know that the price might be a bit higher, but then I get the feeling that the money goes straight into the “source”. 😊
I made some comparison of Converse shoes. There was not a big gap on the pricing, compared to the manufacturer site and Zalando. Approx. 8%. Of course, the shoes might be on discount at Zalando more often and if I would like to get the best discount I would need to check weekly, that has the price got more discounted.
There was some great bargains at eBay for example, but this is where I draw the line. I think that there no proof of the quality of the products that you get via eBay or amazon. I might be hallucinating on this one, but this is just my personal opinion.
In conclusion: I shop online in stores that I find legit and have good customer service. Also online payment options needs to be finnish online bank payment or paypal (no credit card etc. options).
User-friendly mobile solution for healthcare professionals
In my current role, I work with mobile healthcare solutions that allow professionals to securely access sensitive patient information and healthcare applications through shared mobile devices. These systems are designed specifically for healthcare environments and include integrations with patient record systems.
Great thing about these softwares in general are that you can get the patient information that is up to date when you need it. You don’t need to go back to the pc at work to check patients latest lab results or vitals, because you can check them right away on the mobile app. Also the information is up to date to other nurses right away because you make mark the medication administration right away.
I’m keeping this blog text without the software name for a reason.
Self-reflection
While writing this assignment, I realized how naturally digital services have become part of my everyday life. Many things that felt futuristic years ago are now completely normal routines. Logging into healthcare services, checking laboratory results, paying bills, shopping online or even reviewing pension estimates can all be done within minutes using a mobile phone. And what comes to mobile solutions we need less and less computers anymore. Everything can be made with mobile now! 📱
Working both in healthcare and nowadays in healthcare ICT has probably affected the way I see digitalization. I often look at services not only from the user perspective, but also from usability, security and workflow perspectives. Especially while writing about OmaKanta and mobile healthcare solutions, I noticed how important it is that digital services are not only secure, but also simple and practical to use in real working environments.
This assignment also made me think more critically about trust in digital services. Even though I use digital platforms daily, I still carefully choose where I shop online, how I authenticate myself and what kind of payment methods I use. Strong authentication and secure workflows are things that I appreciate much more nowadays than before working in healthcare technology.
One important realization was also the digital gap. For me, using digital services is easy and almost automatic, but that is not the reality for everyone. Elderly people, people with memory disorders or those with limited digital skills may face major challenges in a society where more and more services move online. Digitalization improves efficiency, but at the same time society must ensure that essential services remain accessible for everyone.
Overall, this assignment helped me better understand how broad the concept of digital citizenship really is. It is not only about technical skills, but also about responsibility, critical thinking, security awareness and the ability to adapt to continuously changing digital environments. I also realized that although I already work closely with digital solutions, there is still a lot more to learn especially regarding accessibility, user experience and secure healthcare technologies.
This was my deep dive into the digi citizenship. Next, and last stop will be: ePLATFORM
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