My personal experiences with digitalization are limited compared to today’s possibilities, and my IT skills are weak compared to younger individuals who have grown up in an internet society. I notice a difference in IT proficiency between my own children and myself. They use automatically computter, tablet or smartphone and they can find the necessary information there easily using different search servers. On the other hand, in my work unit as a nurse, I feel that my IT skills are above average. I believe this reflects the age distribution of the staff.
The biggest challenge is changing my mindset to recognize that digitalization can be utilized even more, and there are various means to do so. My studies have compelled me to learn digital services. Many courses can be completed entirely through distance learning. The COVID pandemic accelerated digital development. In daily life, I primarily read news online. Bills have been converted to electronic form; paper letters are rare. I receive mail only a few days a month. If I need make time try first get appointments through digital platforms whenever possible. I also aim to use digital services for healthcare when needed.
I see the future development of digital services as a significant opportunity. The advancement of artificial intelligence will change society and our daily lives in many ways. It is already widely utilized in various fields, such as healthcare services are developed using artificial intelligence, transportation, commerce, and business. For example, AI-based functions help companies understand their customers’ needs and optimize operations. With AI, automation has increased, and many tasks have been transferred to machines, enhancing efficiency and enabling staff reductions. Some jobs may disappear in the future as AI and technology are better utilized and trusted..
In healthcare, AI can analyze large amounts of data to support diagnosis and potentially predict disease progression. It can also improve remote monitoring capabilities and help respond to changes. I see the development of AI as an opportunity to bring healthcare into patients’ homes more extensively than before.
However, digitalization and the increasing use of AI also bring risks. Decisions or outcomes made by AI can be biased if the source material is incorrect or poorly defined. It can also enable certain types of misuse. In the EU, the AI Act came into effect on August 1, 2024. The regulation aims to ensure the responsible development of AI and facilitate its adoption.
The importance of information security has become more pronounced with the development of AI and the internet. There is a vast amount of digital information, and protecting it is crucial for individuals, companies, and states. Data breaches and attacks have become more common, and their consequences can be severe. Companies can lose confidential information, and individuals can become victims of identity theft.
Various technologies have been developed to improve information security, such as encryption techniques and multi-factor authentication. Companies are increasingly investing in cybersecurity and training their staff to recognize potential threats. Legislation plays a vital role; for example, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR has set stricter requirements for handling and protecting personal data Säädös on tullut voimaan vuonna 2018.. The regulation applies within the EU and to organizations outside the EU that process data of individuals residing in the EU.
Individuals should also be aware of information security. Using strong passwords, backing up data, and updating security software are simple yet effective ways to protect one’s digital life. It’s also important to be critical of online content and recognize potential risks that may be hidden behind various links.
As a nurse working in healthcare, information security plays a significant role in my work. Information security training is conducted regularly. In daily work, it manifests in small actions: locking the computer when leaving it, ensuring patient information is not visible, and using personal network credential each employee and student has their own credentials. Those are only few small things what we do every day.
I asked Chat GPT how digitalization can be utilized in home hospitals, and it highlighted: enhancing communication and remote interactions, symptom monitoring and mobile applications, information retrieval and decision-making support, training and development of digital skills, and utilizing patient data review and care plan creation.
I believe digital services can improve the efficiency of home hospitals, for example, by providing devices for remote monitoring and video connections for doctor consultations. Home hospitals have limited doctor resources and long distances. As I mentioned earlier, I believe that as technology advances, patient care can be more safely brought into homes when it is safe for the patient’s situation. As stated, my own skills in utilizing AI are still limited. For this task, I used AI, among other things, to write the text in English, find new words and I created symbolic picture of AI with AI.