KELA
I am familiar with Kela from many years ago. In the past, I have applied for student financial aid, student loans, and paid the healthcare fees for higher education students through Kela. Among my family members, my children have applied for housing benefits and student financial aid. Additionally, my husband, as an entrepreneur, has applied for sickness benefits through Kela. I have found that dealing with Kela electronically has been quite effortless. I have already had an International Kela Card for several years. Kela automatically sends a new card by mail to replace the expired one.
OmaKanta
OmaKanta is also familiar to me, and I have used it for both personal matters and in a professional context. First, you should always type www.omakanta.fi directly into the address bar instead of searching for the site via Google, due to security reasons. After that, you can log in to OmaKanta using your online banking credentials or mobile certificate. The double verification process is also a great feature. These steps help ensure that hackers cannot access your information on the site.
KEVA
My pension matters are managed by the employment pension institution ELO, which allows me to calculate my pension. The longer I work, the better my pension will be. If I retire at the age of 68, my pension will be better than if I were to retire at 63. My pension is influenced by the years worked and the age factor.
DIGITAL SHOP
I have shopped online by booking trips abroad, hotel rooms, and cabins through Trivago and Booking.com. I believe the service has been appropriate, professional, and reliable. I don’t buy clothes or goods online. I prefer to go to the store myself and try on the clothes, as this way I know what I am buying.
FINNISH NATIONAL GUIDELINE
I have used the Finnish National Guideline (Käypä hoito) service extensively in my professional life because I can obtain reliable and up-to-date information from it. I receive information about disease diagnostics, symptoms, treatments, and the domestic and international research backing the recommendations. My experiences with it have been very positive, and I can trust the information I receive and use it when caring for patients.
DIGITALIZATION AND DIGITAL GAP
People who do not use services such as KELA, OmaKanta, tax services, and online banking are, in my opinion, at a disadvantage compared to those who do. Nowadays, many matters must be handled digitally because offices have limited opening hours, making access to services slower. Unfortunately, not everyone has the necessary tools like computers and smartphones, nor do they necessarily have the knowledge to manage things digitally. Individuals who lack understanding of cybersecurity and data protection, as well as the use of digital services, are at significant risk of becoming targets of cyberattacks. In such cases, they can lose their money and personal information to criminals.
DIGITAL COMPETENCE TEST
It seems that I have somewhat to improve. Luckily it is doable.
SELF REFLECTION
This is the first time I am writing a blog on the WordPress platform. It has been very interesting and challenging. I have learned how to write a blog and also discovered new things about digital platforms and services. Of course, many aspects have been familiar to me. Through creating this blog, I have become even more interested in digitalization. In general, digital solutions in the social and health sectors are very relevant and important. Services like Kela and OmaKanta help to facilitate and speed up workflows and access to information. I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to use digital services and thus be on an equal footing. How this could be implemented is indeed a challenge. The future will reveal what new emerging technologies will bring in this changing global world. It is a fact that we must increasingly develop our data security and privacy measures as we implement new wellness technology.
COMMENTS
My experiences with Kela, Keva, and OmaKanta are very consistent with those of yours. Of course, there is still room for improvement in the systems, but generally speaking, the interactions are smooth. Rapid digitalization has transformed society. However, as you write, there is a need for a human touch; it should be possible to ask a person for assistance.
This comment is intended for the DIGI CITIZEN section
Hey Jenni, It`s easy to agree with you. It can be more difficult to pay with card, especially if you aren`t used to do so. On the other hand you lose money if you don`t use card.
With best regards, Hannele
Hey Mari,
I liked the outfit of your blog. Like You said more and more services are becoming digital and it means that some people will inevitably be left out for various reasons: they don`t have the required equipment for it or they aren`t capable or willing to interact digitally.
With best regards, Hannele