Health and Social Service System Research

Research on service system policy and structures

We study and evaluate the development and priorities of national and regional social and health policies and health care policies. We support the development and functioning of the service system by examining the multi-level management and resilience of the health system, the organisation of health care, and the implementation of national social and health care policy. We carry out international comparisons related to functioning of the service system in different countries and related policies. Our policy review also takes into account other policy areas (such as alcohol and substance abuse policy and social security) that have an impact on the health and welfare of the population and the use of services.

We research and monitor the impacts of changes in health and social care legislation and national strategies and programmes on services and their functioning and evaluate the impacts of structural and content reforms in the service system. We are involved in related legislative drafting processes, especially with regard to ex-ante and ex-post evaluations.

We assess the impacts of decisions made at the national level on the equity of health and social services, especially for vulnerable patient groups, and propose solutions to promote equity in health care. We research and assess the role of the private and public sector and occupational health care in the Finnish service system, including the division of labour force between these organisations. We also assess the starting points, mechanisms and consequences of the centralisation, reducing service network and system-level prioritisation of services.

More information

Ilmo Keskimäki
Research Professor (THCS)
tel. 029 524 7256
[email protected]

Markku Satokangas
Senior researcher (The use of occupational health services in the overall service system for the working-age population)
tel. 029 524 7725
[email protected]

Liina-Kaisa Tynkkynen
Chief Researcher (POLDEQUITY, Strong)
tel. 029 524 8517
[email protected]

Projects

• For whom are health systems designed? Political determinants of health and equity in the context of a health system reform in Finland (POLDEQUITY)
• Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS) partnership programme
• Strong
• The use of occupational health services in the overall service system for the working-age population (in Finnish)

Research on the evolving service practices

We produce research, monitoring and evaluation data on the effectiveness of digital health and social services, and the changing work and competence requirements of professionals. We examine digital health and social services and digital tools, such as information systems and AI solutions, and professionals’ experiences of using them in their work. We also research the future potential of digitalisation and AI, the possibilities of replacing traditional services with digital ones and the impacts of these measures on resources and the sufficiency of personnel. We also research new models of digital service provision and the management of digitalising social welfare and health care (e-leadership).

We examine and evaluate the integration of services from the perspective of organisations (well-being services counties, service providers), personnel and service users, especially taking into account population and client groups that use the services extensively.

We research the management and operating practices of health and social services, such as the use of technology and digitalisation, self-directed teamwork and different work distribution models, such as the functioning and leadership of multiprofessional teamwork.

More information

Tarja Heponiemi
Research Professor (DigiIN, DigiCanTrain, eLead)
tel. 029 524 7434
[email protected]

Mika Kortelainen
Research Professor (SoteDataLab)
tel. 029 524 8302
[email protected]

Timo Sinervo
Research Professor
tel. 029 524 7231
[email protected]

Lauri Sääksvuori
Research Manager (SoteDataLab)
te. 029 524 7546
[email protected]

Tuulikki Vehko
Research Manager (Monitoring of Digital Social and Health Care)
tel. +358 29 524 7321
[email protected]

Projects

• Service integration assessment with the SCIROCCO indicator (Innokylä)
• Monitoring Digital Health and Social services
• Digital skills training for health care professionals in oncology (DigiCanTrain)
• Including everyone in the digital society by renewing service culture (DigiIN)
• Good leadership of digitalising work from the perspective of health and social care professionals (eLead)
• SoteDataLab

Research on the resources of health and social services and predicting service needs

We assess the funding of the health and social service system by focusing on its needs-based targeting and incentives. We conduct research on the needs-based factors of the wellbeing services counties’ funding model and produce the need coefficients of the funding model for each wellbeing services county. The importance of needs-based funding is crucial for securing equal services throughout the country, so the criteria for needs must be based on the best available data and the research must be of high quality. We also research the incentive effects of the funding model and the allocation and impact of funding in wellbeing services counties.

We study different ways of foresighting and promoting the availability and adequacy of personnel in health and social services and the attraction and retention of the sector. In our research, we extensively take into account professionals with different backgrounds (e.g. level of education and cultural background) at different stages of their career (e.g. just starting out or approaching the end of their career).

We generate scenarios associated with the service system, taking into account the impact of demographics, service structures, the service system and technology. We develop and maintain a macro simulation model called SOME for foresighting the long-term impact of health and social care expenditure (SOME model), which can be used to assess the impacts of demographic changes or changes in service needs on expenditure nationally or regionally. The model can also be used for calculating sustainability deficits and foresighting the costs of population ageing.

More information

Tuukka Holster
Senior Researcher (Need-based funding)
tel. 029 524 7937
[email protected]

Juha Honkatukia
Chief Researcher (SOME model)
tel. 029 524 6011
[email protected]

Matti Pihlava
Senior Researcher (SOME model)
tel. 029 524 7840
[email protected]

Projects and additional information

• Need-based funding for health and social services in wellbeing services counties
• Compensation criteria for the funding of the wellbeing counties

Performance and equity of health and social service system

We examine how well the activities of the entire health and social care system, as well as individual actors of the system achieve the objectives set for them. We research the effectiveness of services and assess the suitability of the national and international indicators currently in use. We develop comparable performance indicators and assess which factors improve performance.

We study the equity of service use and funding as well as how the use of services is distributed on a needs-basis and affects health outcomes. We research how the service system reaches different population groups and how it succeeds in preventing health inequities, and we examine the mechanisms behind inequity.

We produce information on the regional and demographical (socioeconomic in particular) differences in the use, availability, accessibility, quality and effectiveness of services. We produce information on how these differences are related to individual level factors  and  factors related to living environment and health care and we assess changes in these differences over time.. We research the impact of different life situations on economic behaviour, position on the labour market and the use of services.

We monitor the experiences of the population and service users on the adequacy, functionality and client orientation of services and the continuity of care. A key perspective in the study of the impacts of services is equitable and need-based availability and quality. We also research these perspectives by region, population group and vulnerable population groups.

More information

Anna-Mari Aalto
Chief Expert, Head of Team (Healthy Finland)
tel. 029 524 7252
[email protected]

Martti Arffman
Statistical Researcher (FinDM)
tel. 029 524 7274
[email protected]

Taru Haula
Senior Specialist (Perfect)
tel. 029 524 7455
[email protected]

Unto Häkkinen
Senior Specialist (NORCHER, EuroHOPE)
tel. 029 524 7327
[email protected]

Sonja Lumme
Chief Researcher, Head of Team (TRIAD, KIIRA)
tel. 029 524 7218
[email protected]

Projects

• Performance, effectiveness and cost of treatment episodes (Perfect)
• NORCHER (Karolinska Institutet)
• European Health Care Outcomes, Performance and Efficiency (EuroHOPE)
• Innovations in use Of REGister data (Institute of Health and Society)
• Diabetes in Finland (FinDM)
• Unlucky trio – Mental health disorders, somatic morbidity and social exclusion in the life cycle (TRIAD)
• KIIRA
• TerveSuomi