Digitalization is reshaping nearly every aspect of modern life, from the way we communicate and work to how we access services like healthcare, education, and finance. It brings many benefits, including faster processes, improved efficiency, and greater connectivity, but it also introduces challenges such as privacy risks, cybersecurity threats, and ethical questions about data use. As societies become more digitally connected, understanding both the opportunities and the risks of an open digital society is essential. In this blog, I will explore these themes, reflecting on my personal experiences in healthcare and how digitalization has affected the way we live and work.
My Experience with Digitalization in Healthcare
I began my nursing career in Finland in 2012 and have witnessed significant advances in digital healthcare over the past decade. Finland’s nationwide Kanta system provides a unified infrastructure for electronic health records (EHRs), e-prescriptions, and patient access through My Kanta Pages (OmaKanta), enabling seamless data sharing across hospitals, primary care, and pharmacies and supporting efficient, patient-centered care.
Despite these advances, challenges remain due to the use of different patient information systems across municipalities, which can disrupt information flow during patient transfers. For example, HUS and Katriina Hospital in Vantaa use Apotti, while Keusote care facilities use Pegasos integrated with Omni, causing potential delays and incomplete data access. During my years working in England (2016–2018), I observed that digital transformation was slower, with uneven electronic record adoption and significant interoperability issues. These experiences highlight the importance of national coordination, standardized platforms, and strong policy frameworks for successful digital healthcare implementation.
Future Development Ideas for Digital Healthcare in Finland
Creating a truly unified system where all hospitals, municipalities, and social care providers use compatible databases is essential for future digital healthcare development in Finland. A standardized interface layer should be designed to allow Apotti, Pegasos, Omni, and any future systems to communicate seamlessly in real time. Currently, when patients are transferred between facilities, staff often rely on printed paper records due to the lack of interoperability between databases. This not only causes delays and increases workload but also compromises patient data security, as physical documents can be misplaced, accessed by unauthorized individuals, or incomplete when transferred.
To improve user experience and reduce staff frustration, especially with complex systems like Apotti, Finland should move toward a nationally coordinated digital ecosystem. In this model, technology would support healthcare delivery rather than hinder it. Enhanced interoperability would enable smoother patient transitions, faster access to vital medical information, and higher levels of patient safety and care outcomes across the entire healthcare system.
The Evolving Role of Technology in Finnish Healthcare Delivery
Finland has fully integrated digital healthcare tools into clinical workflows, with systems like Lifecare, based on open EHR standards, providing real-time access to patient data for nearly 2 million citizens. Digital clinics, remote monitoring, and online consultations have enhanced accessibility and resource allocation while reducing unnecessary in-person visits. High public trust and widespread use of digital services support initiatives such as AI driven projects in the SOTE AI ecosystem, demonstrating how technology strengthens professional practice, patient engagement, and continuous improvement in care delivery.
Looking ahead, the healthcare workforce will increasingly rely on AI, interoperable systems, and data driven decision making. Digitalization will reshape roles by requiring stronger digital literacy, improved data management, and collaboration across virtual teams. As telehealth and digital clinics expand, communication between patients, professionals, and institutions will become more seamless. This transformation promises greater efficiency and safety, while creating new opportunities for professional growth and innovative, evidence-based care models.
Digital Society Risks and the Impact of GDPR
An open digital society brings remarkable opportunities, faster services, broader connectivity, and improved efficiency but also significant risks, especially when large amounts of personal data are digitized and shared. In healthcare, for example, electronic health records, lab results, and histories are stored and accessible through nationwide platforms like Kanta Services (including My Kanta Pages) that link data across providers and pharmacies. While such connectivity can improve care coordination and access, it also makes sensitive data prime targets for cyberattacks, identity theft, and unauthorized access, threatening individual privacy and trust in essential services. High-profile data breaches, such as the Vastaamo psychotherapy records hack in Finland, in 2020, vividly illustrate the damages that can occur when sensitive health data is exposed to criminals, leading to extortion and long-lasting psychological harm for affected patients.
To address these risks, the European Union implemented the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which has been applied since 2018. GDPR unified data protection rules across member states, strengthened individual rights over personal information, and imposed strict security and transparency requirements on data controllers and processors. It classifies health data as sensitive personal data, requiring special protection and stricter controls on processing and access. In Finland, national systems like Kanta have updated privacy statements and practices to comply with GDPR, placing greater emphasis on data security, monitoring, and citizens’ rights to understand how their data is used.
In the Finnish healthcare system, GDPR has reinforced both data protection and public accountability. Sensitive health data in systems such as Kanta and regional patient registers must be securely processed, logged, and only accessed when necessary for treatment, with strong identification and monitoring to avoid misuse. Patients can also choose consent settings for sharing data between providers. Additionally, complementary legislation like the Act on the Secondary Use of Social and Health Data and services provided by Findata have created controlled frameworks for using health data for research and innovation while ensuring de-identification and secure processing environments. However, strict privacy requirements sometimes slow the approval of research permits and reduce registry-based studies, highlighting the ongoing tension between protecting privacy and enabling scientific progress. During my Master’s thesis process, I applied for research permits from several schools, but all applications were rejected because the research required schools to provide personal data about African immigrants. The refusals showed how strictly personal data is protected under GDPR, especially when it concerns sensitive groups, even when the research intent is academic and non-commercial.
In my personal and professional life as a healthcare professional, I have personally experienced how GDPR has clearly improved data handling practices. For example, patient information is not shared with anyone other than the family member listed as the official emergency contact, and healthcare staff are not allowed to access a patient’s records once the patient has been discharged from the ward. These rules protect patient privacy and strengthen trust in the healthcare system. However, GDPR has also increased documentation, training, and administrative tasks, which can slow down daily work and make digital systems feel more rigid. Overall, GDPR has improved data security and ethical standards, but balancing strong data protection with smooth and efficient healthcare delivery remains an ongoing challenge.
Questions for ChatGPT and Summaries of Its Answers
Two questions were asked to ChatGPT:
- Should nurses be afraid of being replaced by artificial intelligence in the future?
- Which healthcare department will be most affected by artificial intelligence?
ChatGPT responded that nurses are unlikely to be replaced because their work relies on empathy, ethical judgment, and hands-on care qualities AI cannot replicate. AI may streamline administrative tasks and support clinical decision-making, allowing nurses to focus more on patient care and creating new professional roles.
Regarding the different healthcare departments, AI is expected to have the greatest impact in data-intensive areas such as radiology and pathology, as well as administrative functions like billing, scheduling, and documentation. Emergency and acute care may also benefit from predictive monitoring and decision support. While AI will augment many tasks, healthcare professionals remain essential for complex judgment, quality control, and human interaction.
Reflection on Chatgpt Responses
The answers to my two questions were quite clear and mostly aligned with what I already understand about AI in healthcare. I agree that nurses are not at risk of being replaced and that human interaction will always remain at the center of nursing. It also made sense that radiology, pathology, and administrative work are the areas where AI will likely have the biggest impact.
At the same time, I noticed that the responses can be a bit general and do not always reflect the specific challenges we see in different countries or healthcare systems. Predictions about the future are also never guaranteed, so it’s important to keep a critical mindset.
Overall, I believe artificial intelligence has great potential to support healthcare professionals by reducing unnecessary workload and improving patient safety. Instead of replacing us, AI can help us focus more on the human side of care, something technology can never truly replicate.
Self evaluation
Working on this digital society assignment has been a very reflective experience for me. Reading other students’ work gave me new perspectives on how digitalization affects fields beyond healthcare, which I had not thought much about before. It helped me see the broader potential of digital tools and AI in streamlining work, improving efficiency, and creating new opportunities. Watching the videos gave me a deeper understanding of what data is and how the use of data has evolved. Also the role of technology in in healthcare innovations such as using drones to deliver samples in long distance while maintaining it’s viability. Also how vulnerable our personal data has become with the evolvement of technology and AI. Exploring ChatGPT also added to my understanding of AI’s role in professional life. However, it’s responses can sometimes be too general and not context-specific. This made me reflect on the importance of using AI tools critically and understanding its limitations.
What I learned from this assignment largely aligned with my existing knowledge of AI, particularly in the context of the Finnish healthcare system. Working through the various topics allowed me to connect broader concepts of digitalization, open digital society, and data protection to my personal experiences as a healthcare professional. At the same time, I realized that my reflections mostly focused on healthcare in Finland and may not fully capture the specific challenges faced in other countries or healthcare systems. This highlights the importance of considering diverse contexts when evaluating the impact of digitalization and AI, especially on a platform that hosts students from multiple countries. At the same time, it provides an opportunity for students from other countries to learn more about the Finnish healthcare system and its digital innovations.
Links to blogs i commented on
REFERENCES
OECD. 2019. Going Digital: Shaping Policies, Improving Lives. Web page. availabele at: Going Digital: Shaping Policies, Improving Lives | OECD [Accessed 8 January 2026].
SOTE. AI Ecosystem in Social and Health Services (SOTE). Web page. Available at: AI Ecosystem in Social and Health Services (SOTE) – DigiFinland [Accessed 8 January 2026].
Better is transforming digital health in Finland with its Better Platform. 2023. Web page. Available at: Better is transforming digital health in Finland with its Better Platform – Better [Accessed 9 January 2026].
GDPR.EU. What is GDPR, the EU’s new data protection law?. Web page. Available at: What is GDPR, the EU’s new data protection law? – GDPR.eu [Accessed 9 January 2026].
ChatGPT. Web page. Available at: ChatGPT [Accessed 9 January 2026].