Health care
I have spent the majority of my career working as a health center physician and chief physician in Helsinki. Through my work, I have gained a solid understanding of what functions well and what doesn’t in outpatient care. I am committed to advocating for efficient healthcare services. Care and welfare services should be accessible to everyone and in all parts of the city. I envision a robust and effective primary care system, where preventive measures for mental health, substance abuse, and social exclusion play a central role. Young persons should have prompt access to care; therefore, the therapy guarantee should be extended up to the age of 29. I want Helsinki to pilot supervised rooms for drug addicts to reduce the spread of infections, overdoses, and drug-related issues.
To create smoother and more efficient healthcare services, digital tools need to be developed, and generative artificial intelligence should be harnessed to reduce workload and free up time and quality for patients. The level of continuity in care must be increased by establishing house doctor teams and utilizing smart technical solutions. In addition, it is crucial that healthcare staff receive the support they need – measures to improve the work environment of the staff is a commitment to the quality of the entire healthcare system.
All elderly residents in Helsinki should have the right to a safe and dignified old age. They should be able to live at home as long as they wish and are able, while also having good access to service housing and other forms of support. The valuable work of family caregivers must be facilitated with higher compensation and improved opportunities for respite.
Front row corona crisis management
On March 20th, 2020, at 7 am, I was standing with a dozen other voluntary physicians and nurses in a gloomy auditorium in the newly opened Corona Health Center in the Laakso Hospital area. Nobody knew what level of risk the staff would be exposed to or if there would be enough safety equipment and beds.
This episode is about my background in outpatient medical care in Helsinki. It culminates in the first-hand insights into the city’s corona crisis management I have acquired through my capacity as chief physician at Laakso Corona Health Center. The 35 health care professionals at Laakso have taken care of over 27 000 patients in a year, and I will remain proud of my team and its effort forever.