Experiencing Digitalisation in Healthcare
Digitalisation has significantly transformed healthcare over recent decades. Patient records, care planning, medication management, and even communication between patients and healthcare professionals have increasingly moved into digital systems. This change has not happened overnight, but gradually, and in everyday nursing work it often appears both as improvements and as new challenges.
In my own career as a psychiatric nurse, I have witnessed this development in a very concrete way. Between my two most recent workplaces, digitalisation had clearly advanced. In my latest position at the City of Helsinki, the patient information system in use was more developed and comprehensive than before, shaping daily work more strongly and systematically. Documentation and clinical processes were increasingly integrated into a single digital environment, which changed how work was organised and carried out.
In that workplace, I used the Apotti patient information system. When handling out medication, I was required to scan each medication package before dispensing it to the medication cup. At first, I experienced this as slowing down my workflow and adding extra steps to an already busy routine. However, over time it became clear that this process significantly improved patient safety. The system helped reduce the risk of medication errors and ensured that the correct medication was given to the right patient. This experience illustrates well the dual nature of digitalisation in healthcare: it may feel demanding and time-consuming, yet at the same time it enhances safety and supports high-quality care for both patients and professionals.
The Future of Digitalisation in Healthcare
In the future, the role of digitalisation in healthcare is likely to grow even further. Technology will increasingly support clinical decision-making, monitoring, and daily workflows. Tools such as automation and artificial intelligence may help healthcare professionals identify risks earlier, follow patients’ conditions more closely, and support treatment planning in a more precise and timely manner.
At the same time, it is essential to consider how digitalisation affects the human aspect of care. In psychiatric nursing especially, interaction, presence, and trust play a central role in the healing process. One of the key challenges of the future will be finding a balance between efficient digital systems and meaningful patient encounters. Ideally, digital tools should reduce administrative burden and free up time for genuine human interaction, rather than replace it.
Digital skills will become an increasingly important part of professional competence in healthcare. Continuous training and adaptation will be necessary as systems evolve and new technologies are introduced. It is also important that healthcare professionals are actively involved in the development of digital systems. User-centered design and feedback from those working in daily clinical practice can help ensure that digitalisation truly supports care delivery instead of adding unnecessary complexity or stress.
Overall, the future of digitalisation in healthcare holds great potential. When implemented thoughtfully, technology can enhance patient safety, improve the quality of care, and support the well-being of healthcare professionals. However, its success will ultimately depend on how well we manage to keep the patient and the human relationship at the center of digital transformation.
Risks of an Open Digital Society and the Impact of Data Protection Reform
An open digital society refers to a society in which digital services, data sharing, and online platforms are widely integrated into everyday life, work, and public services. It offers many opportunities, but also involves significant risks. The use of digital services has increased rapidly, and at the same time an ever-growing amount of personal data is being stored, processed, and shared across different systems. This exposes individuals to data protection risks such as data breaches, misuse of information, and loss of privacy.
The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation entered into force in 2016 and began to be applied in 2018. The aim of the data protection reform has been to strengthen individuals’ rights over their personal data and to harmonize data protection practices across the EU. The reform has increased transparency and required organizations to pay greater attention to information security and the proper implementation of data protection.
In my professional experience in healthcare, data protection plays a central role. The handling of patient information is governed by strict regulations, and the use of digital systems requires careful attention. In my work in psychiatric nursing, I deal with sensitive information on a daily basis and often have to discuss issues related to the disclosure of information with patients’ family members. The strict regulation of data sharing is not based solely on the GDPR, but also on national legislation, which defines in detail how patient data may be processed and protects patient privacy.
Overall, as a positive effect, the data protection reform has strengthened the position of individuals and increased trust in digital services. On the negative side, the complexity of regulation can be seen as a challenge, and an open digital society requires constant balancing between efficiency and the protection of privacy.
Critical Reflection on Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
I use ChatGPT regularly in my everyday life, especially as a tool for generating ideas. I find it useful both in my studies, for example when starting assignments or structuring texts, and in daily situations such as getting inspiration for a new recipe. In this task, I asked ChatGPT a few questions related to psychiatric nursing and digitalisation in order to explore how artificial intelligence responds to topics connected to my professional field.
I asked ChatGPT the following questions:
- How can digital systems improve staff safety in psychiatric wards?
- What are the limitations of AI in clinical decision-making?
- How might digitalisation change the role of psychiatric nurses in the future?
The answers provided by ChatGPT were generally clear, well-structured, and relevant to psychiatric nursing and digitalisation. The artificial intelligence was able to summarize complex topics in an understandable way and highlight key issues such as safety and general principles of clinical practice. As an idea-generating tool, ChatGPT proved useful, especially for gaining an overview of topics and identifying important themes related to healthcare practice.
At the same time, some limitations became apparent. In questions such as staff safety in psychiatric wards, the answers tended to remain quite general and focused on widely known factors. While the information was correct and helpful as a starting point, it lacked deeper reflection.
From my own perspective, I would also have added that although digital tools can support staff safety, they are not sufficient on their own. In situations involving potentially aggressive patients, continuous assessment of the patient’s mental state is essential. This includes timely use of medication when needed, planning possible seclusion measures together with colleagues, and, whenever possible, engaging in conversation with the patient. These elements require clinical experience, situational awareness, and teamwork, which cannot be replaced by digital systems.
This suggests that ChatGPT works best as a supportive tool that complements professional knowledge rather than replacing it. Artificial intelligence can be particularly useful for idea generation and for providing clear, well-structured basic information, especially when exploring new topics or gaining an initial overview. However, its output should always be interpreted in relation to practical experience and professional judgment.
Self-Evaluation
Through these assignments, I was able to refresh my knowledge of the GDPR. I also found it interesting to watch the TED Talk videos. I have watched TED Talks before on different topics, and I usually find them inspiring. One talk that stayed with me focused on how much personal data people share on social media and how detailed information, such as location data, can be used to track individuals. This made me think more critically about how easily personal information can be revealed in everyday digital environments.
The ChatGPT assignment highlighted the importance of critical thinking when using AI-generated content. While the answers were generally clear and relevant, they often remained on a general level and lacked deeper reflection. I am particularly interested in seeing how digital tools and artificial intelligence continue to develop year by year and how their role in healthcare evolves over time. I would like to be actively involved in this development in my future professional work and gain hands-on experience in using and evaluating new digital solutions.
I commented on these following blogs: Johanna’s Site and Iida’s Blog about Digitalized Working Environment