Digital Development in Social and Healthcare

I have been a nurse for over ten years. During this time, technological advancements have been remarkable. Digitalization has taken significant leaps forward in recent years, further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the initiation of new welfare regions in many places, physical services have become increasingly distant, prompting the search for solutions in digital services.

Technology and digital solutions are also aimed at alleviating the growing shortage of healthcare professionals. While the idea is commendable, it’s crucial to remember that technology alone cannot solve everything. There are still services that cannot be provided remotely, and consideration must be given to those who cannot or do not want to use digital services. It is also unfortunate to see the trend of reducing inpatient beds in the future. If a patient needs care outside the home, it cannot be replaced by digital services.

Digitalization in Emergency Care

I currently work as a paramedic in an ambulance. My work is not something that can be done remotely. When a person becomes seriously ill, they need help and care on-site. Just a year ago, I thought that technology or digitalization wouldn’t have much impact on the work of a paramedic, but upon closer consideration, these aspects have found their way into emergency care as well. There is an ongoing project to create a national system that allows paramedics to access patient health information through the Kanta Archive. Additionally, GPS technology is used for navigation to the destination, and specific software has been designed for this purpose. In my work, a smartphone version has been developed to assist with information about medications carried in the ambulance, providing details on usage purposes, dosages, and side effects. Consultations with doctors are currently done over the phone, and I am unsure if a video call consultation would add much value to the process.

I see great potential for a unified system in the work of paramedics. This would streamline work in many areas, and if needed, the emergency physician could see real-time observations made by the paramedics. The system has been planned and tested extensively, and it’s regrettable to note that a fully functional system is still awaited. I believe that in the future, technology can provide various tools to facilitate emergency care, such as different forms of vital sign analytics.

Digital Threats

The digital society also poses various risks, especially in the social and healthcare sectors, where sensitive personal information is handled. The primary threat that emerges is various cybersecurity risks. All digital systems are susceptible to data breaches and leaks, through which patients’ personal information or health data can be exposed to unauthorized parties. Data breaches jeopardize patient privacy and may expose patients to identity theft, among other risks. Patient information must always be handled appropriately. Adhering to data protection regulations is particularly crucial in the social and healthcare sector. Organizations should pay special attention to privacy matters to avoid catastrophes similar to the data breach experienced by Vastaamo. Reluctance to use digital services may, in part, be related to privacy concerns. People are more cautious online nowadays and may be hesitant to share their own information. If an organization can establish a secure image of its operations, people may be more willing to use its services. The sense of security cannot be overstated.

Chat GPT

I asked Chat GPT about how artificial intelligence could be utilized in emergency medical work in the future. Several responses were received, with the most intriguing suggestion being autonomous ambulances guided by artificial intelligence that can respond to emergencies without human intervention. Ambulances guided by autonomous AI could use real-time information, navigation, and self-driving functions in patient care. Could this really be a part of the future at some point? Another interesting response was resource optimization. AI could, for example, determine based on predictive analytics when and where ambulances should be deployed most effectively. I believe this could be realistically implemented and experimented with. However, relying solely on AI for field management might not be feasible. Other responses mostly focused on improving data transmission and communication, which I believe has endless potential for improvement. According to Chat GPT, AI can enhance the efficiency of emergency medical services, speed up response times, and provide better care for patients. However, it is essential to note that the introduction of AI in emergency medical care requires careful supervision.

Self-assessment

In my writing, I reflect on my experiences regarding the impact of digitalization in the social and healthcare sectors, particularly from my perspective as a nurse and emergency medical technician. I aim to highlight both the positive and challenging aspects of technology use in healthcare.

The videos shared on the page were very interesting, although they were quite old. Currently, technology and digitalization are advancing at a rapid pace, and information becomes outdated very quickly. The video depicting a day in 2020 was amusing. Despite technological advancements, it still doesn’t quite look like that even today.

Several videos addressed cybersecurity and data privacy, which cannot be emphasized enough in today’s world. Development continually brings more challenges to cybersecurity. The fact that every action leaves a trace is, in itself, quite frightening.

I provided comments on the following blogs:

DIGI SOCIETY

DIGI SOCIETY

References:

ChatGPT 2024 A. OpenAI. GPT-3.5. Used for information retrieval. January 2024. https://chat.openai.com.