In this section, we will explore what it means to be a citizen in a digitalizing society.

KELA

Kela, is a public agency responsible for the Finland’s social security. It manages various social security benefits for different life situations and is in charge of decision-making and payment related to these benefits. Examples of such benefits include child benefits, student financial aid, sickness and unemployment allowances, and pensions.

There are several ways to interact with Kela. It is possible to access services online, by phone, or in person at a Kela service point. Kela’s website offers various calculators suitable for different life situations, which can be used to check eligibility for benefits before submitting an application.

Kela is also the agency through which the European Health Insurance Card is applied for, which entitles the holder to medically necessary healthcare in all EU countries. I personally applied for the EU card for myself and my entire family as soon as it became possible to do so years ago. Kela automatically sends a new card whenever the previous one expires.

OMAKANTA

Omakanta is a digital platform that provides users with access to their own health information and prescriptions online. This service is part of Finland’s national healthcare information system, aimed at improving the efficiency and availability of patient data management. Users can browse information such as prescription details, laboratory results, and doctor visit records through the Omakanta service. Additionally, the service allows for the management of personal consents and refusals regarding who can view their health information. Omakanta promotes active patient participation in their own care and enhances the safety and quality of healthcare services.

Access to Omakanta requires strong authentication, such as bank credentials or a mobile certificate, and the use of Omakanta requires a Finnish personal identity code. It is also possible to use Omakanta on behalf of another person. A guardian can manage the affairs of their minor child, while managing affairs on behalf of an adult requires authorization.

KEVA

Keva, or the Local Government Pensions Institution, is responsible for public sector pension matters in Finland. It administers and pays pensions and grants pension benefits to employees of municipalities, the state, the church, and other public organizations. Keva also provides advice on pension issues and manages the investment of public sector pension funds.

Through Keva’s digital services, one can easily check their work pension statement and explore how much pension they are estimated to receive based on current data, and how the age of retirement affects the amount of the pension. I checked my own information but ended up closing the calculations quickly. The pension looked so small that it’s better not to think about it yet.

BOOKING.COM

Just over 20 years ago, at the beginning of the 2000s, it was still quite common to pick up paper travel brochures from travel agencies for planning and choosing trips. The rise of the internet and digital services had already begun to gradually change the tourism industry, and nowadays, most trips are booked through digital platforms.

I myself have traveled to several places in Spain and booked accommodations through Booking.com. I have found apartments in Barcelona, Tossa De Mar, Tarragona, and Alicante that were quite reasonably priced. I find the service reliable and user-friendly. Digital platforms also make it easy to compare accommodation offerings and prices in the chosen destination. Additionally, these services allow you to see the experiences of others who have rented the same property, which is very important to me when choosing an apartment for my vacation. I would not choose a place that has received poor reviews or one that has hardly any reviews at all.

TERVEYSKYLÄ

Many healthcare services have also moved into the digital age. There are remote doctor or nurse services available through chat or video consultations. Various navigators or bots are available to help assess one’s health. Therapy services also made a significant shift to the digital realm with the onset of COVID-19, and it was found that this model worked well for many, so remote therapies became a permanent part of the offerings.

Due to the dwindling resources in healthcare, there has also been an investment in various self-care programs and in increasing citizens’ knowledge to manage their own health. Terveyskylä is a digital health service platform developed by university hospitals, offering reliable information and support for the treatment of various diseases and health promotion. Terveyskylä provides digital services for both patients and healthcare professionals.

I chose Terveyskylä for this task because I consider it a excellent source of reliable information and it is particularly nice to direct patients there since it is free and not intended to exploit anyone financially. Terveyskylä is also an important source of information for professionals, offering a section specifically for professionals called TerveyskyläPro, which includes extensive information, various guides, virtual training, and the possibility for eConsultation with another professional.

DIGITALIZATION AND DIGITAL GAP

One downside of a digitalizing society is the increase in inequality. Not everyone has the opportunity or ability to use digital services. Financial constraints may prevent some from affording a smartphone or computer. Many people, especially the elderly, may struggle to use devices and digital services even if they can afford to buy them. Many services have moved either completely or almost entirely to digital platforms, making it difficult to obtain personal service. Even in digital services, one might initially have to interact with a bot before progressing to human contact.

The shift of healthcare services to digital platforms can significantly hinder people’s ability to obtain information and guidance on managing their health if they lack the means or skills for online transactions. I manage several digital services on behalf of an elderly relative, and this has not been straightforward. Each service requires its own authorization for acting on someone else’s behalf, which cannot be granted through the suomi.fi service. I have obtained several power of attorney documents to manage my relative’s affairs, which have been sent both electronically and in paper form to various places.

We cannot assume that everyone has the ability to manage their affairs digitally. For now, we must also offer alternatives to this. Digitalization is rapidly infiltrating every corner of society, but we must not forget those who cannot or for other reasons do not engage in digital transactions.

SELF EVALUATION

In this section, the task was to reflect on the various digital services available and evaluate the usability and reliability of the selected services. I consider myself an experienced user of digital services and always prefer a digital option over a phone call or face-to-face meeting. It is interesting to consider the digital services available and notice how they are continually increasing. There are significant differences in the usability of services, and poor usability can lead to frustration.

I commented following sites:

https://sannagodard.wordpress.com

DIGI CITIZEN
DIGI CITIZEN