Public authorities, many aspects of everyday life and social interaction have moved online. There are big differences between people in the use of e-services. People who don’t use e-services can face challenges in a digitalising society.

PUBLIC DIGITAL SERVICES

I use KELA’s services a bit. I rarely visit the KELA online service. Only a couple of times a year I pay the health care fee for a college student. Currently, my family gets child benefit. Since I am studying for a university degree, I am entitled to use the services of the Student Health Service (YTHS). With the Kela card, I can receive direct reimbursement for medication and treatment costs at pharmacies, private dental clinics and private medical clinics.

Applying for a European Health Insurance Card was surprisingly easy. The application was sent in a couple of clicks. I don’t travel much and I travel mainly in the Nordic countries, where no card is required. However, I think it was a good idea to get the card. If you go on a trip unexpectedly, you won’t have time to get a card. The European Health Insurance Card is useful if you fall ill during your trip and need essential medical care. It should be noted that the treatment is provided in accordance with the practice in the country of residence and that the card can be used in public health care in the EU and EEA countries, Switzerland, the UK and Northern Ireland, at the clinics of private doctors who have concluded a health insurance contract and in hospitals who have signed a contract.

OmaKanta is a citizen’s online service that brings together health information and recipes into a single entity. With the help of the Kanta service, it is possible to transfer information between different health care units. The Kanta service is intended to guarantee the availability of information, facilitate and speed up transactions. I visited the Oma-Kanta service and the login went smoothly. At first, a notice appeared on the screen, which I had to sign off on. The service was plain. I found prescriptions, laboratory results and records that doctors and nurses have made. The usability of service needs to be developed. For example, Is there a better way to perform the laboratory results?

‘Keva is the largest pension insurer in Finland. In Keva’s electronic service, you can check the earnings-related pension record, see how much pension you have accumulated, and use pension calculators to estimate the amount of your own pension. Keva’s pension calculator is very informative. My lowest retirement age is 67 and my target retirement age is 69. The upper age limit for pension accrual is 70 years. If I continue to work longer, the pension will increase by few hundred euro per month. This is intended to act as an incentive to continue to work for a little longer. However, I don’t think it is physically possible to do my current job until I am 70.

ONLINE STORES

On eBay, I was surprised by its huge variety. I checked the price of a blood pressure monitor and it was the same as in Finland. In fact, eBay became even more expensive when considering shipping costs. eBay sells a lot of point of care tests freely to consumers. It is not possible to buy these in Finland. The price of the tests seems low, but the shipping costs are high and increase the price of the test cartridge. The online stores, such Trivago, enable price comparison, but if you don’t make a purchase decision right away, the price can go up the next time you browse. There is enough information on the website where I browsed. By purchasing from online stores, you can get the product cheaper if you can compare the prices.

HEALTH APPLICATION

I downloaded a mobile application, called Pihlajalinna health app, from my health care provider. Why did I choice this service? Reason was distances; the current service provider is a long way from my home. I hope to get services more smoothly through the app. I think it is important to have a smooth contact. Because I can’t use the phone during work hours, so it is hard to wait for a call back from a nurse. The application shows very clearly the appointment time of the Chat doctor and nurse, the estimated waiting time and what the service will cost if you pay for the service yourself. There is a menu for the renewal of the recipe. The results of the lab tests are also well displayed. You can also make a reservation a face to face doctor`s appointment with app. In several places in app, the phone number of the clinic is displayed, which is probably meant to lower the threshold to call the clinic. The menus are very informative and the app is easy to use. I think the development of this application has focused on usability.

RISKS AND CHALLENGES OF DIGITALISATION

The challenge for people who do not use digital services is access to information. Before there were telephone directories, now contact details are available on the internet. A person who avoids digital services has to obtain contact information by visiting the location and looking for information in advertising leaflets. Companies invest in electronic service channels and traditional forms of service have even been reduced. Limiting access to information can have financial consequences, for example, when applying for a job. There may also be financial consequences in being excluded from various offers, on the other hand, shopping in a traditional store can be even more expensive. The risk of digitalisation is that a person will be digitally excluded from the functions of society. Digital exclusion can also have social consequences. If social interaction is transferred to the web, the person shunning virtual services can be left out and isolated by other people and communities.

SELF-REFLECTION

It was easy for me to use OmaKanta, KELA:s and KEVA:s services, but what about other people? Use of Omakanta requires a Finnish personal identity code and means of identification. User needs online banking code provided by banks. This may cause challenges for some people to use service. I learn what kind of digital skills I have. My strengths are critical evaluation and digital exploration. Active participation is my weakness which I should develop. It was nice to read other student`s posts. Was that my first step to active participation? Digital services in the subject area were fairly familiar to me already. I enjoy to explore new apps and I hope that my new Pihlajalinna app will be useful. In worklife I have to be aware of the risks and challenges for people who do not use digital services. I am thinking about my own family and digitalisation. My own children advise me on how to use the apps, although I think I have good digital skills. For my part, I help my mother with various applications. Digitalisation has affected young people so that they are able to absorb things quickly, and they navigate effortlessly with their phones. My mother was against the smart phone. I told her how I pay my bills with mobile app and I don’t have to open the computer. At this point, she noticed that she has the potential to save on computer costs and that it is easy to use the service. I learn that support and interaction are important in the adoption of new digital services.

COMMENTED POSTS AND COMMENTS

https://blogi.savonia.fi/jarmolampimaki/digi-citizen/

Hi Jarmo! I agree that older individuals may face difficulties using Omakanta. Users do not have the same digital skills and that is why usability and accessibility are important things in developing new digital services. There have been fake websites similar to Omakanta. These fake websites try to fish for bank codes. I think that some people are afraid to use digital services after this news. I also agree your comment ” product description can replace first-hand experience ”. That is true and it is the weakness of the online shopping. I don’t like ether that websites use my browse history to advertising products.

https://blogi.savonia.fi/minttupastilli/digi-citizen/

Hey, Minna!
Radiopedia raise my interest. It is great that there is such a place where you can search for information in your own field, compare the images of radiograph and thus increase your expertise. The service will certainly make your job easier. I agree that online shopping has its downsides. If you live in a remote area, there may be travel expenses for returning products to the post office, so online shopping may not be cheaper. Digitalization can cause exclusion. Your family is a good example of how to prevent digital exclusion. You help your parents with digital services and warn them of scams. It is important to encourage the use of services and to raise awareness of the risks of e-services.

https://blogi.savonia.fi/tittakrogerus/digi-citizen/

Hi, Titta! I agree with you about the challenges of digitalisation. You mentioned that the opening hours of the agencies have shrunk and there are no agencies in every village any more. These changes create inequality and it is worrying. Digital services make life easier, but it is wrong that they leave some people in a worse position. Efficiency, economy, productivity are things that companies think about. It is a pity that there are no ways to preserve traditional forms of service.